EDITORB次元官网网址橲 NOTE: This story mentions suicide.
A Chilliwack waitress has penned a true story about meeting the B次元官网网址榳ealthiest man in the world.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 advertise it as what the book is about because the story is so spectacular and the ending just hits you in the face,B次元官网网址� said Glenda Toews. B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, it was a huge scam.B次元官网网址�
She wrote Spinning on a Barstool after losing tens of thousands of dollars in an alleged fraud.
Glenda has worked at CorkyB次元官网网址檚 Irish Pub in Chilliwack for 14 years and it was there that she met Daryl Schmidt during the pandemic, back in August 2020, when he stepped into the pub for some drinks.
B次元官网网址淗e was unassuming. He didnB次元官网网址檛 wear jewelry, he wasnB次元官网网址檛 flashy, he was very clean.B次元官网网址�
He started coming into CorkyB次元官网网址檚 daily and Glenda got to know him better as the months went on.
He said he was from the Cayman Islands and he was married to a Canadian woman. They couldnB次元官网网址檛 fly back to the Cayman Islands because of COVID restrictions. Daryl said he started the very first Cactus Club, owned casinos all over the world, and was the owner of the Los Angeles Chargers football team and SoFi Stadium. He said he owned Google, MGM in Vegas, and recently bought Amazon.
But, if anyone googled his name, it would come up blank.
No one would find information on him because B次元官网网址渉is security wipes everything,B次元官网网址� she recalled him saying to her.
B次元官网网址淗e said, B次元官网网址榃e let people B次元官网网址� like Elon Musk and Bill Gates B次元官网网址� be the centre stage. The real wealth, it lies beneath them. The world thinks they are, but the real wealth, they stay away from the spotlight,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚t was quite intriguing.B次元官网网址�
He would go into in-depth details about his stories, keeping everything consistent.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not stupid. HeB次元官网网址檚 actually very brilliant.B次元官网网址�
Daryl and Glenda became very good friends B次元官网网址� he and his wife would hang out regularly with Glenda and her husband. Later, Glenda would even call Daryl her best friend.
About three to four months in, Daryl offered Glenda a chance to invest in hedge funds.
She started by giving him a few thousand dollars B次元官网网址� it was her tip money, her B次元官网网址渞ainy dayB次元官网网址� money. Some of the money she invested was for herself, but most of it was for friends and family members. The plan was to leave the money for a year and then surprise those people later.
B次元官网网址淚 thought if I lose it, itB次元官网网址檚 not a big deal.B次元官网网址�
The beginning of the Foundation of Hope
More months passed when Daryl and Glenda started talking about doing good in the community and also in Ukraine and Germany, where GlendaB次元官网网址檚 two daughters live. They were going to help the homeless in Chilliwack, offer aid to Ukrainian grandmothers who had been abandoned, and help less-fortunate people in Germany.
She called it Foundation of Hope. Daryl, Glenda and others all put in money to launch it.
Daryl led her to believe everything was in the works as the months went on. But there were delays. Daryl decided to divorce his wife who was apparently stealing millions from him. Then his father died, and then his mom died.
HeB次元官网网址檇 use local news stories and world headlines to his advantage, weaving them into his stories.
In November 2021, there were problems getting bank cards mailed out because roads were closed due to flooding and snow storms. He claimed the reason for other delays in starting up the two charities in Europe had to do with world events, like Russia invading Ukraine and an election in Germany.
It was just a coincidence that the two charities happened to be connected to countries making headlines.
B次元官网网址淭he universe fit beautifully,B次元官网网址� she said.
She kept investing and waiting, investing and waiting. Over the months, it ballooned from giving him a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars.
B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e up and down with emotions because youB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址楻eally? Another delay, another delay, another delay?B次元官网网址� And then youB次元官网网址檙e wondering if itB次元官网网址檚 true.B次元官网网址�
One day a friend messaged Glenda with a link to a about a convicted fraudster named Daryl Heiligsetzer. According to the Herald, Heiligsetzer went to prison in 2005 for committing a $1.5-million investment fraud, and then was out on parole in 2015 when he was alleged to have committed a similar scam, duping approximately 45 investors of more than $400,000.
She looked closely at the photo under the headline. It was an image of a younger Daryl.
Daryl Schmidt was Daryl Heiligsetzer.
B次元官网网址淔irst, I was relieved because it was true. For a year and a half, it was like this hope dangling and youB次元官网网址檙e never getting it.B次元官网网址�
Then she started wondering what the bigger picture was. What else was he planning on doing? Was he going to hack her bank accounts?
Glenda was paranoid for about two months as she put alerts on social insurance numbers and changed bank account numbers.
She went to RCMP, they opened up a file, but she claimed police said there wasnB次元官网网址檛 much they could do.
B次元官网网址淲丑补迟 can I do then?B次元官网网址� she recalled asking an officer. B次元官网网址淗e said, B次元官网网址榊ou can tell your story.B次元官网网址� So, here I am. I wrote the book.B次元官网网址�
Spinning on a Barstool is all about DarylB次元官网网址檚 stories and GlendaB次元官网网址檚 ups and downs of waiting. Emails have been printed word for word in the book.
In the end, after being involved in a scam that lasted a year and a half, Glenda lost roughly $60,000.
She admits she had some dark thoughts.
B次元官网网址淲hen you hear of people being scammed big and they kill themselves, I get it. ItB次元官网网址檚 got nothing to do with the money. It really comes down to complete and utter humiliation.
B次元官网网址淲hen a person falls for something like that, you (hear) all those voices of every insecurity you ever had in your life,B次元官网网址� she said, choking back tears. B次元官网网址淵ou brought so much hope to people, to your kids, and you have to go and say, B次元官网网址楴o, none of thatB次元官网网址檚 happening.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Insp. Jeff Bowerman confirmed Chilliwack RCMP did conduct an investigation into GlendaB次元官网网址檚 file.
B次元官网网址淎ny criminal fraud reported to the police is investigated,B次元官网网址� he stated in an email to The Chilliwack Progress. B次元官网网址淭his investigation is currently closed and should new information be received can be re-opened.B次元官网网址�
He could not comment on the details of the investigation.
Spinning back to a good cause
Glenda says she wrote Spinning on a Barstool for a few reasons.
B次元官网网址淚 really wanted it in every pub and restaurant in all of B.C. and moving through Canada B次元官网网址� so that people are aware that the person thatB次元官网网址檚 sitting beside them could be Daryl.B次元官网网址�
He has also used the name Daryl Smythe, Glenda added.
Secondly, sheB次元官网网址檚 hoping she can do some good with book sales by raising money for the three charities they had planned to start under Foundation of Hope.
Seventy per cent from each book purchase will go to Foundation of Hope while the other 30 per cent will help Glenda recoup her bad investment.
People can purchase Spinning on a Barstool by Glenda Toews for about $24 at various locations online. For more info, go to or email info@glendatoews.com.
The Chilliwack Progress attempted to contact Daryl via email and two phone numbers. There was no reply to the email, and one phone number was no longer in service. When the reporter called the second phone number and asked if she was speaking with Daryl, the man who answered said: B次元官网网址淣o, sorry youB次元官网网址檝e got the wrong number. I think IB次元官网网址檝e got his old phone.B次元官网网址�
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