Sullivan's Crossing Season 2, Episode 6 finally revealed what Walter did to Maggie Sullivan (Morgan Kohan), which had something to do with her arrest in Season 1. The Canadian family drama series from CTV follows the story of Maggie, a neurosurgeon in Boston whose life took a drastic turn after she was arrested for being involved in a billing fraud in Sullivan's Crossing Episode 1.
While she was cleared of the charges, the arrest badly damaged her reputation, prompting her to return to her hometown of Timberlake, Nova Scotia, and reunite with her estranged father, Sully.
While she initially didn't want to settle in at Timberlake, Maggie eventually learned to reconnect with her father and find love with Cal. However, this meant sacrificing the life she already had in Boston, which included her relationship with her mother and stepfather, Walter Lancaster (Peter Outerbridge).
Based on Robyn Carr's novel, Sullivan's Crossing is at the center of many fan conversations after Netflix U.S. added Season 3 on August 11, 2025.
What Did Walter Do In Sullivan's Crossing? How He Got In Trouble
As Maggie's stepfather, Walter Lancaster has been a stabilizing force and a mentor to her ever since she set foot in Boston. He was an established neurosurgeon, and his medical career inspired Maggie to pursue her passion.
Maggie's father, Sully (played by Scott Patterson), was bitter over Walter and Maggie's closeness, believing he should've taken his place as the more reliable father (but it was too late then).
While everything seemed perfect between Maggie and Walter, Sullivan's Crossing Season 2 Episode 6 revealed that Walter is not a saint after all because Phoebe (Maggie's mother) exposed the truth by telling her daughter that he was arrested for billing fraud, and the FBI put a freeze on their bank accounts.
This meant that Phoebe is also struggling financially, similar to Sully (who was on the verge of losing the campground due to debt).
It was heartbreaking for Maggie because Phoebe and Walter were supposed to be the saving graces for Sully's situation, but it turned downhill after the shocking reveal. Phoebe explained that "Walter was the one behind the whole thing," and Maggie's ex-boyfriend, Andrew, was even aware of it, but he didn't tell her.
Walter tried to explain himself to Maggie, but she shut him down by saying, "You destroyed everything that I ever worked for." Maggie was furious because Walter's fraud scheme brought her career, reputation, and business down in one go.
What Happens to Walter In Sullivan's Crossing Show
Walter's billing fraud scheme not only changed Maggie's life, but it also affected those around her. Still, there was a silver lining to it.
Phoebe moved back to Timberlake and reconnected with Sully, reminiscing about their sweet moments together. This move also allowed her to rekindle her friendship with some of the townsfolk, such as Edna and Frank.
As for Walter, more of the truth was eventually revealed in Sullivan's Crossing Season 2, Episode 8. He told Maggie, Sully, and Phoebe that the fraud occurred due to the stock market crash, noting, "I thought I had everything under control."
An enraged Maggie showed her disdain toward Walter by asking him bluntly why he managed to put her career and reputation on the line for money.
An apologetic Walter said that he wouldn't want to let Maggie down, so he invested in her practice via a loan. However, the loan sharks became impatient, which led to them blackmailing Walter and even threatening to hurt Maggie:
"When you asked me to invest in your practice, I didn't want to let you down, so I took out a loan. The people that I borrowed the money from got impatient. They threatened to hurt you, Maggie, and I didn't know what else to do."
While he admitted that he committed a "terrible mistake," Walter's pride got the better of him. It seemed the problem would've solved itself if he had come clean to Phoebe and Maggie, and they could've worked together to resolve the issue.
Sullivan's Crossing Season 2, Episode 9 confirmed that the medical board allowed Walter to keep his license so that he could make restitution. That was the last update from Phoebe about Walter in Season 2.
Walter later resurfaced in Sullivan's Crossing Season 3, Episode 9, when he advised Maggie (via phone call) about Edna's surgery. Even though their personal relationship was damaged, this conversation made it clear that Maggie still maintained a professional courtesy with her stepfather, further proving that she still saw him as a mentor.
