The owner of a chain of addiction treatment centres has been charged with defrauding patients of up to $6.1 million after allegedly hiring a pair of “doctors” who Ontario Provincial Police say weren’t licensed to practice in Ontario.

John Haines, CEO and owner of Addiction Canada is facing five charges, including two counts of fraud, and one count each of money laundering, benefitting from the proceeds of crime, and trafficking in controlled substances.

Richard Tucker, 30, of Mississauga, and Munish N. Malik, 46, of Richmond Hill, were charged last year with practising without a medical license at a treatment centre in Caledon, and another in Burk’s Falls. A subsequent investigation found that Haines had hired the two men, according to the OPP.

In October 2015, Addiction Canada posted a statement on its website, saying “sensationalized news reports” were the result of false allegations from “many disgruntled and failed former clients and families.” The statement added that “all our doctors and nurses are fully licensed, accredited and credentialed!”

According to LinkedIn, Haines has been the owner of Addiction Canada, the country’s “largest private treatment organization” for over 10 years. Before that, he worked as an “extreme interventionist” in both Canada and USA, helping “thousands for the last 12 years get on a sober path.”

Haines and Tucker are scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Orangeville on June 30th, 2016.