Criminal charges against a former National Hockey League player agent accused of defrauding two of his clients have been stayed after he died.

Court officials confirmed the charges against Stacey Don McAlpine were stayed on March 7.

An obituary in the Winnipeg Free Press said McAlpine, 54, died at home in his sleep on March 5.

McAlpine was accused of defrauding former NHL players Dany Heatley and Chris Phillips of more than $12 million between January 2004 and June 2011.

At the time, he was a player agent and business adviser who was supposed to invest the players’ money.

He allegedly used the money for personal business and covered it up by giving the players fake account statements.

The Winnipeg Police Service was alerted by Heatley and Phillips in 2013. In October last year, police announced they had charged McAlpine with fraud, theft and money laundering.

Heatley was awarded a $6.5-million judgment in Calgary against companies McAlpine was involved with.

Court documents say McAlpine acted as Phillips’ player agent from about 1995 to 2011 and was also his investment advisor.

Last September, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice awarded Phillips $3,296,917 US in a judgment against McAlpine, his parents and three companies they controlled.