The man behind plans to bring a $1-billion cricket stadium to the GTA is a convicted fraudster once involved in an $8-million scam.

Roy Singh, the chairman of cricket’s Canadian Premier League T20 and the mastermind behind a proposed 35,000-seat stadium, was found guilty in 2007 of using a software company he owned to defraud a local finance business of $8 million.

In a court judgment, Justice Arthur Gans slammed Singh as “more than a little disingenuous” and sentenced him to 4 1/2 years in prison for fraud over $5,000.

But those days of legal trouble are behind him, Singh says.

“It’s a part of my life I wish I could erase, but I can’t. A mistake was made,” he says. “I’m just trying to continue with my life in a positive manner.”

Singh, who sometimes goes by the name Rohit Ablacksingh, acted “through a sophisticated array of paper, faxes, emails and fictional characters, in addition to unseemly acts of ingratiation and self promotion,” Gans said in his judgment.

Part of moving on, Singh says, is building a stadium in the GTA.

He’s eyeing Milton, Markham, Brampton and Toronto for its location, with Toronto as the preferred site.

When reached early Tuesday, he confessed that he hadn’t told the towns and cities about his fraud conviction, but planned to when discussions became more serious.

“I haven’t fully disclosed it to any of the municipalities,” he said. “Obviously, my time will come when I will do that.”

Later in the day, he said media attention had prompted him to begin sharing his fraud conviction with those he has approached about the stadium.

Toronto’s general manager of economic development and culture Michael Williams said Singh has “been in discussions with some staff both in economic development and parks with regards to potential locations.”

He said he wasn’t aware of Singh’s past.

“If we were going to get into any kind of relationship in terms of providing grants or space or doing a joint project, we would certainly look into the credibility of the individual, but we haven’t got to that stage at all in this case,” Williams said.

City spokesperson Shane Gerard added that staff from the city’s partnerships office met with Singh in December 2013 and January 2014 and told him establishing a stadium at Coronation Park “was not feasible.”

“Since then the partnership office has had no further communication with Mr. Singh in this matter,” Gerard said in an email.

Singh said he has turned to Avcom Investments Inc., a private company, to fund his project.

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While Avcom has little online presence, the company’s sister business, Avcom Developments, owns a car wash, trucking facility, plaza and restaurant in Arthur, Ont.

A man who identified himself as Avcom CEO Mark Edwards said the investments business was started around 2004 as a syndicate lending company for those seeking funding for ventures.

He told the Star his company has lined up a group of investors who will collectively provide $700 million for the stadium, but he would not divulge who has pledged their commitment to the project until land for the project is secured.

Edwards said he believes Singh is “a very honest guy.”

“It is what it is,” he said of Singh’s past. “He was upfront with us so we’re fine.”

For people like Edwards who partner with Singh and aim to advance his stadium dreams, Singh says, “it’s their choice to continue with me.”

“People are actually joining my team willingly knowing my past fully. I’ve served my time, paid my debt to society,” he says. “I regret it happening, but saying that doesn’t bring back the money that was lost.”

League president Bob Mitchell agrees.

“He paid the price and is trying to make a better man of himself and give back to society,” said Mitchell, a former Star reporter. “Cricket is his passion and he wants to do everything he can to bring the world-class international players and make it happen here.”

Singh hopes others will be able to forgive him and rally behind his project.

“I’m just pushing ahead because I think it’s about time cricket gets recognized in Canada,” he said.