The man who scammed 36 people out of millions of dollars will spend the next seven years in prison and will have to pay his victims back.

Arnold Donszelmann was sentenced Friday in Edmonton after being found guilty of 31 counts of fraud.

Crown prosecutors were asking for a sentence of 8 to 10 years. The judge ruled Donszelmann should serve seven.

“It was almost as much as we were asking so we are content with that,” Crown Prosecutor Robert Sera told CTV News.

Donszelmann owned Leisure RV in Millet.

The premise was, he would sell a motorhome to investors who would loan it back to him to rent out. Then rental payments started to dry up and the motorhomes were never available for the buyers. That's because the vehicles didn't exist, Donszelmann never ordered or purchased any units. 

Beryle Pledge and her husband Stan bought two motorhomes. They lost $165,000 and were both forced to go back to work.

““I’m 67 years old and there ain’t no retirement for at least another 5 years,” Stan said after the sentencing.

The Pledges said they are pleased with the judge’s decision.

“They could have given him 3-5 and he got 7. So that’s a good thing,” Beryle admitted.

“I’m quite happy to see that…well at least he’ll have a long time to think about things,” her husband added.

In 2007, the Alberta Motor Vehicle Industry Council started to investigate.

“While we’re pleased to see a long sentence, we still feel sorry for the victims and the money they lost,” AMVIC executive director John Bachinski said.

 The judge also ordered Donszelmann pay more than $2.3 million dollars in restitution to his victims.

“They will be getting back what they paid if he has any money for him to get, so they might not get much of anything,” Sera admitted.

“And of course, they’ve suffered for years since this has happened and they won’t get that back.”

For the victims, any money back would be appreciated.

“If I get anything, 20 bucks…I’ll smile,” Stan Pledge stated.

“I don’t think I’ll see the 110,” he added. “I’m almost positive of that. But we just keep going.”

The victims said they hope the time in prison teaches Donszelmann a lesson.

“I’d like to see him keep his nose clean but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Stan said.

Bachinski told CTV News the sentence will likely deter other scam artists from trying the same sort of operation in Alberta. 

With files from Amanda Anderson