Wood Buffalo RCMP launch local Financial Crime Unit – update

October 2, 2026 - Fort McMurray, Alberta
From: Alberta RCMP

Content

Fort McMurray, Alta. - In April of 2026, Wood Buffalo RCMP launched a pilot project with intent to focus more specialized services on Financial Crime impacting the region. With a one-year mandate to explore specific activity related to embezzlement, misappropriation, fraud, and money laundering, the Wood Buffalo RCMP have had great success in identifying and interdicting some of the areas offenders in the underworld of local financial scams. 

In the last six months, the Wood Buffalo RCMP Financial Crime Unit has laid over 80 criminal charges specifically related to illegal financing schemes, identified millions of dollars in lost capital, and has linked several national and international criminal networks to local activity. “Our Financial Crime Unit investigators are executing an average of 2.5 judicial authorizations every week to follow the money, wherever that trail leads. By working with police partners across Canada, FINTRAC and Canadian financial institutions, we are increasingly able to identify and disrupt the financial networks that enable criminal activity. In Wood Buffalo, this work is well underway, and its impact is only beginning to be felt.” says Inspector Mike Robinson, Investigative Services Officer at Wood Buffalo. 

“Wood Buffalo is a community built on hard work and investment, and we are committed to protecting both. Those looking at Fort McMurray with fraudulent intentions should understand that the RCMP is watching, investigating and taking action. We will continue working to protect our residents, our businesses and the financial security of this community from those seeking to profit through illegitimate schemes,” says Financial Crime Unit Commander Staff Sergeant Ryan Adlam.

Wood Buffalo RCMP encourage anyone who suspects they have been a victim of financial crime to report it to your local law enforcement agency and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre.ca , or by calling 1-888-495-8501.  RCMP encourage the public to report any criminal or suspicious activity to police.  Reports tell us where to look, who to look for, and where to patrol in the future.  If you see a crime in progress dial 9-1-1. 

Associated links

• Wood Buffalo RCMP launch local Financial Crime Unit

Contacts