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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A spokesperson for Ekati Diamond Mine says they have no knowledge of a mine expo taking place at their site despite claims by an organizer who, until recently, was advertising an event taking place at the Multiplex this fall.

Paul Pearson of Protec Expo International, a B.C.-based company, told Yellowknifer Tuesday that he was in talks with mine management to hold a mine expo at the Ekati mine site instead.

Deana Twissell, spokesperson for Ekati Diamond Mine, said she had never spoken to Pearson, nor has anyone else from BHP Billiton.

"I've never spoken to the man," she said. "It was brought to my attention by someone outside the company if we knew anything about it and we had never heard of it until someone from the mining industry asked us about it."

Pearson e-mailed News/North on Saturday, claiming he was organizing an expo at "the mine site" without specifying which one. News/North contacted Booth, De Beers and Diavik - the two other diamond mines in the territory - but neither knew of any such show taking place at their sites.

The Yellowknife mine expo was originally scheduled for the Multiplex Sept. 3 and 4 later this year but it was cancelled last Friday after News/North attempted to contact Pearson about the show and a failed trade show in Red Deer, Alta.

Pearson faces a lawsuit from Capri Hotel and Convention Centre after he failed to pay his bills following the Red Deer rig expo last May when only 22 people attended and Pearson fled the city on its opening day.

An e-mail received Tuesday evening from Pearson, stated he had been in Yellowknife for two weeks and was at the Ekati mine site that day planning the event with management.

In a previous e-mail sent last Friday he said he was on his way out of the country to travel with his race horses to races in the United States and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. He declined to comment on the failed Red Deer expo and the cancelled expo in Yellowknife.

Twissell said BHP plans to follow up on the issue diligently.

"I think something weird is going on," said Twissell.

Const. Scott MacPherson of RCMP Commercial Crime Division said police have not received any formal complaints against Pearson.