Proposed Pea Plant Director Gets Over Four Years In Prison

By Robert Thomas

The main promoter and director of a proposed $80 - $100 million pea protein plant in Moose Jaw has been convicted of major fraud and embezzlement charges in Germany.

Michael Schoenert, director of Canadian Protein Innovation (CPI), has received a prison sentence of four years and two months in Germany.

Schoenert, the former chief financial officer of the Emsland Starke Potato Starch factory in Germany, was convicted of stealing 2.1 million Euros (approximately $3.227 million Canadian dollars) between 2007 - 2014.

Schoenert and three co-accused were the subject of the longest forensic investigation in German history prior to the criminal charges being laid.

Reached by telephone by MJ Independent Emsland-Starke officials declined comment as there are still on-going civil cases to recover funds Schoenert allegedly helped embezzle from his former employers.

Emsland-Starke is seeking “tens of millions” allegedly embezzled from the firm. Sources in Germany place the amount sought in excess of 40 million Euros making it one of the largest embezzlement cases in German history.

In a series of columns and investigative stories MJ Independent has been following the CPI story since this news sources inception in December 2017.

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In a Freedom of Information (FOI) request MJ Independent discovered documents that Mayor Fraser Tolmie had a meeting with then publisher of the now defunct Moose Jaw Times-Herald Roger Holmes said he had a meeting with Mayor Tolmie on the issue.

Holmes told MJ Independent that Mayor Tolmie not only knew about the charges in Germany but the Mayor had also spoken to Schoenert about them. According to Holmes the Mayor said Schoenert had indicated the legal problems were not criminal but rather civil as well as politically motivated.

In an emailed response to MJ Independent Mayor Tolmie said the reason he had met with Holmes was because of the unacceptable and inappropriate actions of Times-Herald reporter William (Will) Stoldaka at a public meeting when he questioned Schoenert about the allegations in Germany.

The Times-Herald immediately dropped the story and Stoldaka was later terminated largely for his alleged actions at CPI's open house in November 2016.

In his emailed response to MJ Indepedent Mayor Tolmie said he was unable to recollect what was said at the meeting with Holmes because it had occurred years earlier.

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In written responses to questions the Province said they were aware of the criminal allegations in Germany involving CPI in 2016. CPI was vetted by the Province before they approached the City of Moose Jaw.

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Both Stoldaka and Mayor Tolmie were unavailable for comment on Friday.

In October 2016 CPI announced plans to build a pea protein fractionining plant which was to serve as the anchor tenant for the South East Industrial Park. After three extensions CPI did not proceed with the project.