The annual Esquimalt Ribfest has come and gone.
This past weekend, thousands of people enjoyed racks of ribs and live music live music, and a community atmosphere described by organizers as “like a 5,000-person house party.”
However, behind the scenes, volunteers discovered a troubling fraud that could cost local children’s charities thousands of dollars.
Ribfest organizer Tom Woods confirmed that fake tokens made with a 3D printer were used as official festival currency during the event.
With over 300 volunteers working hard during the three-day event to raise money for children’s charities, the discovery frustrated many.
“We are 100% volunteer and our keen staff noticed some were odd shaped and not smooth,” Woods explained.
“Several thousand [fake tokens were used]—not sure of the total yet.”
It is the first time Ribfest has encountered such a plan in its history. Once the counterfeit tokens were found, organizers contacted the police. They also asked vendors to be on the lookout for any irregular tokens.
“We have an open police file and we asked our vendors to be careful but it was super busy so some likely still slipped through the cracks,” Woods said, adding that “VicPD has been very supportive and the Detective Section is helping out.”
Given the number of tokens involved, Woods thinks that more than one person might be responsible for the fraud.
All proceeds from Ribfest go toward children’s charities, including school programs, youth sports, and families in need.
While Woods said “all of our charities will still get helped, it is just a little less,” he noted that people wishing to offset the loss can donate directly to the Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation.
For Woods, the theft was a particular blow because of who it ultimately affects. “Stealing from children’s charities is almost as low as you can go,” he said.
Despite the setback, Woods stressed that the weekend was otherwise a resounding success.
“Awesome! Best ever!” he said. “It is literally like a 5,000 person house party—grandparents dancing with grandkids. Loads of fun!”
Woods added that seeing “families have a blast and smiles all around” remains the highlight for organizers and volunteers, who put in long hours to make the festival possible.
Looking forward, Woods said changes will be made to stop counterfeit tokens from getting into circulation again.
“All venues need to be aware of this and we will be altering how we do business for sure,” he said.
In response, organizers are offering a $500 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for making and distributing the fake tokens.
Anyone with details should contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, mentioning VicPD file #VI25-35469.
