Quebec financial planner Bertram Earl Jones has hired a lawyer and is staying out of the public eye, as he faces allegations of misappropriating his clients' money.
Montreal authorities revealed earlier this month that they were looking for Jones, after his accounts were frozen by Quebec's securities regulator. The move came after his clients reported they had not received interest cheques on their investments.
His namesake firm, Earl Jones Consultant and Administration Corp., has since been shut down by Quebec investigators.
Jones, however, has not been charged with any crime and none of the allegations against him have been proven in court. There is also no warrant for his arrest at present.
He has not been seen since the allegations about his business were made public. His name has been removed from the registry at his condo, and his mail has reportedly been piling up.
Lawyer Jeffrey Boro spoke with CTV Montreal on Tuesday and said he talked to his client as recently as Monday.
"We discussed the progress in the case and what is happening," Boro said.
The next step is for Boro to meet with the investigators to determine where the case is going to go.
"The police know that Mr. Jones is available if they want to meet with him, they can contact him through me," Boro said. "I have access to my client and when the police are ready to speak with him, he will be ready to meet with them."
Jones "left for a brief time" to visit the United States, though police were informed about his trip.
Boro was asked by a CTV Montreal reporter to explain why his client is in hiding.
"I think that if you see what is written in the press and if you see what the people are saying, I don't think it's a very comfortable situation for Mr. Jones," Boro said in the interview with CTV Montreal. "There have been threats made and for the time being, I think it's advisable that he just stay out of harm's way."
Boro was then asked to explain where the money is that Jones is accused of mishandling.
"I don't know where the money is, I haven't asked Mr. Jones about the money or what has happened with the money," he said.
Jones's lawyer told CTV Montreal that he intends to co-operate with investigators.
He was also asked to comment on his client's current state of mind.
"He's a very troubled person and if I was to pick up the paper tomorrow and see that he had taken his life, it would not be a surprise. I'd be sad, but I can tell you that he is having a difficult time," Boro said.
With a report from CTV Montreal's Rob Lurie and files from The Canadian Press
