Serial rent dodger given full parole told to 'remain productively occupied'

A serial fraudster and rent dodger in Halifax has won full paroleand is on a trajectory to a better life, according to an assessment from the Parole Board of Canada.

A year ago, Nadav Even-Har was sentenced to two years in prison on multiple counts of fraud, theftand passing forged documents.

He was ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution to his victims, including Cole Harbour landlord Jason Selby, who lost $12,000in rent, plus thousands more in damage to his home.

Even-Har's application for full parole was granted Monday.

On Friday, Jason Selbytold CBC News he's seen "not a penny" of court-ordered restitution.

"Hopefully, he's taken the time to reflect, and taken the opportunity to change his ways," Selbysaid.

Bouncing cheques

Even-Har's crimes began in 2017. He signedleases with landlords, but gave them cheques from closed bank accounts. He'd live free for months during eviction proceedings.

He and his family also lived for weeks in a Dartmouth hotel while falsely claiming they had suffered a house fire and had insurance money to pay.

Parole documents indicate Even-Harbehaved well in prisonand has been in full compliance with his program goals while in a halfway house.

He's shown improvements in his attitude and emotional issues, for which he's undergoing counselling, according to the documents.This puts him in a category of offenders with a 22 per centrecidivism rate, the report states.

The report goes on to say that maintaining employment and seeking education are important for Even-Har's recovery.

"It is important that you remain productively occupied or your risk to reoffend would increase," the report said.

Even-Har must report all his financial activities to a parole officerand is forbidden from signing any type of contract without permission and review from the officer.

He also must continue counselling for "deeply buried trauma" which the board believes is at the root of his criminality.

Even-Har has been frustrated with unnamed health issues, but has "worked hard at maintaining a positive outlook," the report said.

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