Anne Squires blames staff for $510K claimed in AccessEasyFunds lawsuit

Anne Squires is denyingclaims that she lied about "fictitious real estate transactions" and has failed to paymore than $510,000she allegedlyowes to a payday loan-stylecompany.

Those claims were made in a civil lawsuit launched by AccessEasyFunds Limited in April.

• AccessEasyFunds sues Anne Squires over $510K in advances

In court documents filed in August,Squires argues that a staff memberat her company, Exit Realty on the Rock,entered intoagreements with AccessEasyFundsnot her.

Squires's statement of defence says agreementswithAccessEasyFunds were madewithout herauthority,"implied or otherwise"and, therefore, Squires can't be held responsible for them.

AccessEasyFundsadvances money to real estate agents for house sales before the deals close. The company charges a fee for the service, and is then supposed to be reimbursed when the commission comes in.

AccessEasyFundsalleges in court documents that Squires created an number of fake real estate transactions "with the explicit intent to defraud the plaintiff."

The lawsuit also names a numbered company that lists Squiresas sole director as a defendant.

That numbered company guaranteed the amount owing, the court filings allege, then defaulted on the agreement.

Squires denies all of those allegations, whichhave not been tested in court.

Squires denies knowledge of transactions

According to the statement of claim, the alleged $510,000 owed to AccessEasyFundsrelates to 43 transactions made by Squires between Sept. 24, 2015 and Feb. 5, 2016.

In her statement of defence, Squires denies any knowledge of those transactions.

Feb. 5 is the day after Exit Realty on the Rock had its licence suspended by the Newfoundland and Labradorgovernment. The company was forced into receivership shortly afterward. That process is ongoing.

• Exit Realty on the Rock's licence suspended

On Feb. 16, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary executed a search warrant at the real estate company's Kenmount Road head office.

According to a document the police filed in court to get a judge to sign off on the warrant,Squires is under investigation for theft, fraud and breach of trust.

In subsequentcourt documents filed in May, the police indicated thatongoing criminal probe will continue until the end of the year.