Say what you will about Canada but their Ponzi scheming set is willing to tread where its more southern counterparts have not. Yeah, we have big number schemes but no one really thinks outside the box. Like pigeon-farming scams. Have we ever had one of those? No, we just feed the damn things rather than think about exploiting them for cash.

An Ontario man accused in an alleged $1-million pigeon breeding scheme has been charged with fraud and violations of bankruptcy laws. Arlan Galbraith, the 62-year-old owner of Pigeon King International, was arrested Wednesday after surrendering to police in Kitchener. Galbraith, from Cochrane, Ont., is charged with one count of fraud over $5,000 and four counts under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act. Police allege Galbraith defrauded people in Canada and the United States out of a total of $1 million between 2004 and 2008. It’s estimated about 1,000 people invested a total of $20 million in the purchase of pigeons while allegedly being promised guaranteed financial returns.

You want to hear more, right? Some sort of business plan at least.

The pigeons were to be sold in pairs to farmers for breeding, part of a plan to ultimately produce pigeon meat for the consumer market.

Or…maybe we should just never speak of this again?

‘Pigeon King’ charged in alleged $1M fraud [CBC]

Comments (56)

  1. Posted by tits | December 3, 2010 at 3:13 PM

    we should just never speak of this again…

    -tits

  2. Posted by Your Grandfather | December 3, 2010 at 3:17 PM

    The ol’ Canadian Pigeon Scam eh? If I had a nickel for each time some young whippersnapper tried to sell me on that, I’d be rich.

  3. Posted by Georgy Boy | December 3, 2010 at 3:18 PM

    Miranda thinks I’m a butcher, but – it’s not my fault, is it? Don’t we have a deal with the pigeons?

    G. Bonanza

  4. Posted by Dr. Rosenrose | December 3, 2010 at 3:24 PM

    …and with your investment, you’ll not only be making a guaranteed 110%/yr, you’ll also be helping those who can’t afford squab at current market prices. You’ll be a hero.

  5. Posted by UncleTed | December 3, 2010 at 3:29 PM

    Gary, have you ever seen a man eat his own head?

  6. Posted by NY Rebel | December 3, 2010 at 3:29 PM

    OMG Bess,
    The pic in the post, is that the crazy bird lady from “Little House in the Praire”? Other than that, I am heading to central park with a bag of crackers, some ambian and a burlap sack so I can corner the bird market.

  7. Posted by mudslinger | December 3, 2010 at 3:29 PM

    Yes, we do this here.
    “For thirty years Taylor raised pigeons as a hobby. Always he dreamed of having a modern squab plant, of raising fine, plump squabs for hotels, restaurants, and private trade. But for thirty years fate kept him working as a painting contractor, fireman and engineer for the Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads, as aviation procurement inspector for the government, even running his own painting and decorating business in Pasadena.”
    -Charles Squab

  8. Posted by CanadianGuest | December 3, 2010 at 3:30 PM

    Tim Horton’s franchises are expensive. Give the guy a break. He’s just trying to keep his kid in hockey.

  9. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 3:31 PM

    reminds me of a classic Mike Tyson quote: “One morning I woke up and found my favorite pigeon, Julius, had died I was devastated and was gonna use his crate as my stickball bat to honor him. I left the crate on my stoop and went in to get something and I returned to see the sanitation man put the crate into the crusher. I rushed him and caught him flush on the temple with a titanic right hand he was out cold, convulsing on the floor like a infantile retard.”

  10. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 3:32 PM

    clearly you’re not a NY Rebel, NY Rebel

    may be off but looks like home alone: lost in ny crazy/sweet/bag lady to me

  11. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 3:36 PM

    how sure are we that this isn’t falcone’s phase II telecom plan ie carrier pigeons?

  12. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 3:41 PM

    No! It’s the Pigeon Lady from Home Alone.

  13. Posted by Old Man Marley | December 3, 2010 at 3:49 PM

    Seriously….how the hell could you not know that that was the lady form home alone?

    -Guy who cried when Macaulay Culkin’s character died in My Girl

  14. Posted by Old Man Marley | December 3, 2010 at 3:49 PM

    Seriously….how the hell could you not know that that was the lady form home alone?

    -Guy who cried when Macaulay Culkin’s character died in My Girl

  15. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 3:53 PM

    I know. And I don’t even care for the sequel (first one, however, is in my
    movie Top 10, probably Top 5, obvs).

  16. Posted by The other Lloyd | December 3, 2010 at 3:56 PM

    I once sold a blind kid my headless pet bird.

  17. Posted by Anti DB | December 3, 2010 at 4:00 PM

    And I made the call that Citi was going to be forced to cut the dividend
    MW

  18. Posted by Texashedge | December 3, 2010 at 4:04 PM

    “We already struck gold with the old man with the shovel–how can we recapture that? Let’s make it a woman this time…and let’s see, it’s New York, so…pigeons!”

  19. Posted by Texashedge | December 3, 2010 at 4:07 PM

    Samsonite! That was it.

  20. Posted by The other Lloyd | December 3, 2010 at 4:16 PM

    You were way off.
    - guy who is Dumber

  21. Posted by Unsatisfied Customer | December 3, 2010 at 4:21 PM

    I’m still bitter about the Talkboy not being as dynamically entertaining in reality as it was in Home Alone 2. The possibilities seemed limitless. Fuckers.

  22. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 4:23 PM

    Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?

  23. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 4:24 PM

    Bloody hell, it’s not pigeon!!! It’s “squab”.

    -Ahole Chef

  24. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 4:26 PM

    I don’t remember what the Talkboy is- I’ve only seen 2 once. It’s garbage
    compared to numero uno. Shut it, Marv.

  25. Posted by trojan | December 3, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    Maybe I’m off my hinges, but I believe you. That’s why I’m gonna let you go. I’m gonna give you to the count of three to get your lousy, lyin’, low-down, four flushing carcass OUT my door! 1… 2…
    3. Merry Christmas, you filthy animal.
    And a Happy New Year.

  26. Posted by PasteSpecialFormats | December 3, 2010 at 5:11 PM

    Whatever it is, it must start with, “Hi, my name is OptionsTrader…”

  27. Posted by Michael James Osborne | December 3, 2010 at 5:13 PM

    Look what you did, you little jerk!

    Uncle Frank
    Pigeon King International Investor

  28. Posted by H. Paulson | December 3, 2010 at 5:14 PM

    This post makes me wistful for the time I spotted the elusive pink pigeon in Madagascar not once, but twice. Such a marvelous specimen.

  29. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 5:36 PM

    My girl wasn’t a sad movie. It was actually pretty dumb movie just like Home alone was.

  30. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 5:47 PM

    learn the difference between from and form

  31. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 5:47 PM

    learn the difference between from and form

  32. Posted by CurrencyTrader | December 3, 2010 at 5:49 PM

    You know what always pissed me off about Home Alone…at 9pm he never ate the damn macaroni and cheese he made – it looked so good!

    Other than that I have no concerns

  33. Posted by Pfluger the Barbarian | December 3, 2010 at 5:58 PM

    Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by a fungus, which grows in pigeon droppings.

    Cryptococcosis is another fungal disease associated with pigeon droppings .

    Psittacosis (also known as ornithosis or parrot fever) is a rare infectious disease that mainly affects parrots and parrot-like birds such as cockatiels, and parakeets, but may also affect other birds, such as pigeons. When bird droppings dry and become airborne people may inhale them and get sick.

  34. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 6:22 PM

    So I should probably stop eating pigeon droppings?

  35. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 6:22 PM

    They’re winged rats. Were you under the impression that inhaling their excrement would be good for one’s health?

  36. Posted by Shia Feva | December 3, 2010 at 6:23 PM

    “We are supposed to be on a tight budget!”
    “It’s cool, I sold some stuff before we left”
    “what did you sell? to who?”
    “Billy down the Hall.”
    “THE BLIND KID IN 4C?!?!”
    “Yeaaah! Haha ……yeah.”
    “What did you sell HIM!?”
    “Stuff….Comic books, sack of marbles, [clears throat] Petey…”
    “YOU SOLD OUR DEAD PARAKEET TO A BLIND KID?!? PETEY DIDN’T HAVE A HEAD!”
    “Harry, I took care of if!”

  37. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 6:30 PM

    you don’t know shit.

  38. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 6:35 PM

    Guano is good fertilizer.

    - Robin

  39. Posted by Pfluger the Barbarian | December 3, 2010 at 6:41 PM

    Sheesh, I am only here to impart important information. To protect yourself against Pigeon borne diseases, take some commonsense precautions:

    *Avoid inhaling air that may be contaminated with fungal spores, and don’t disturb or contact piles of pigeon waste.

    *Avoid contact with food or water that may have been contaminated with pigeon waste.

    *Avoid direct contact with any pigeon excrement or nesting material.

    * Have any contaminated areas professionally cleaned.

    *Eliminate any pigeon roosts or infestations in buildings, and have those buildings sealed shut to keep birds out, or have deterrents such as pigeon spikes installed to keep pigeons from roosting.

  40. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 6:47 PM

    Pretty bird…

  41. Posted by xel | December 3, 2010 at 6:54 PM

    but there is an upside: creditors get paid back in Pigoens.

  42. Posted by xel | December 3, 2010 at 6:57 PM

    what are pigeon futures trading at today? I need to hedge my exposure to 10,000 pigeons to be delivered in May.

    - AIG

  43. Posted by trojan | December 3, 2010 at 7:18 PM

    i saw that episode of House

  44. Posted by CurrencyTrader | December 3, 2010 at 7:19 PM

    I prefer to use my Texas heritage approach – mainly drinking half a bottle of Jack Daniels, Snorting a line of blow, Blasting some Clint Black, loading a 12 gauge up with buck shot, and start shooting a la Dick Cheney.

  45. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 7:29 PM

    In your case, however, I would suggest inhaling the dried excrement.

  46. Posted by CurrencyTrader | December 3, 2010 at 7:57 PM

    Too late man, snorted that off a table at Ward III in Tribeca . Starting seeing visions of Count Chocula riding Gumby through a desert.

  47. Posted by Pumpyagutsfulloflead | December 3, 2010 at 7:57 PM

    Buzz’s girlfriend…woof.

  48. Posted by Short, But Long | December 3, 2010 at 8:00 PM

    Apparently a bird in the hand is worth… 10 yrs in the slammer.

  49. Posted by Anonymous | December 3, 2010 at 8:04 PM

    Leave it on the doorstep and get the hell out of here.

  50. Posted by Guest | December 3, 2010 at 8:22 PM

    The center for Pigeon Communication Studies is in “Coos” Bay, Or.

  51. Posted by PartimageIsNotGhost | December 3, 2010 at 8:44 PM

    Re: things that make you gag

    Nothing

    -PJ

  52. Posted by Guessed | December 3, 2010 at 8:59 PM

    nope, try again

  53. Posted by Lord Humongous | December 3, 2010 at 9:48 PM

    Shorting potash, going long guano

  54. Posted by Professional Guest | December 5, 2010 at 12:18 AM

    Did you also spot the talking lion, zebra, giraffe, and hippo? And that King Julian just slays me . . . “shake your booty!” he says, HAHAHAHAHAHAH

  55. Posted by Blinker | December 5, 2010 at 12:20 AM

    Know what? I liked it. Shocking, but true.

  56. Posted by Guest | December 5, 2010 at 12:43 AM

    Well done!

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