The three owners of Bermax Caffee have been arrested and charged for staging the robbery and hate crime at their cafe.

Police say they believe that both the report of the robbery and the anti-semitic graffiti and vandalism were falsely reported as being done by other individuals.

Investigators say that Alexander Berent, 56, Oxana Berent, 48 and Maxim Berent, 29 are each facing a charge of Public Mischief.

On Thursday, April 18, 2019, officers had responded to the report of a woman who had been injured during a robbery. She was taken to hospital, treated and released.

Investigators combed the scene and maintained a 24-hour presence outside the cafe until this morning.

Well wishers had written messages of support on the sidewalk outside the cafe and several online fundraisers had been set up in support of the family.

Several people who donated feel duped and question whether the previous three anti-semitic graffiti incidents were genuine or staged.

Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth told media that the previous anti-semitic incidents at Bermax would form part of the ongoing investigation.

“If the allegations of a fabrication of a hate crime are true, we condemn this in the strongest possible way. False complaints of antisemitism are both illegal and harm the efforts of human rights organizations to combat racism, discrimination and hatred,” said Marty York, Chief Communication Officer for B’nai Brith Canada.