A trial date has been set for the Victoria financial advisor and former Olympic rower accused of committing fraud before going on the lam for a year-and-a-half.
Harold Backer's trial will begin on Sept. 10, 2018 and has been scheduled to last five days, according to court documents.
Backer pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud over $5,000 last month after he turned himself in to Victoria police in April.
Before that, the 54-year-old man was last seen in November 2015 after telling his wife he was going for a bike ride – and never returning home.
Backer, who was released on bail in May, has elected to be tried by judge alone.
His release conditions included an order to live with his mother and not have contact with any of his previous investors.
It's unclear where Backer was or what he was doing for the 18 months he went missing for.
Backer competed as a rower in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games for Canada.
