25-02-21, 14:30
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Case Falls Apart in Ontario Mob Bust in Italy.
Case Falls Apart in Ontario Mob Bust After Alleged Illegal Conduct by Investigators
Project Sindacato was an 18-month, $8-million investigation that involved eight different police services, including York Regional Police, the Canada Revenue Agency and police investigators in Italy.
CBC 25 FEB 2021.
The operation resulted in charges against nine people in Canada who police alleged were part of a criminal organization with ties to the Mob in Italy. Police seized $35 million worth of goods — including five Ferraris, 19 other luxury cars, 27 homes, illegally modified gambling machines, luxury liquors and 38 Rolex watches.
But now, most of that property must be returned. And on Jan. 27, prosecutors stayed the charges against six of the accused, including the alleged boss, Angelo Figliomeni. Three of the accused previously had their charges stayed in 2020.
Defence lawyers alleged that investigators illegally listened to phone calls — a breach of solicitor-client privilege.
Michael Lacy, Figliomeni's lawyer, told CBC News this week that York Regional Police and Canada Revenue Agency investigators "are the ones who actually breached the law for the purpose of their investigation."
Adrienne Lei is a Toronto lawyer who didn't work on the case but has experience with police misconduct cases. She said investigators should've known not to listen to privileged phone calls.
An internal systems review is needed to determine exactly what led to the stay of charges, she said. "This doesn't sound like it was one rotten apple ... it sounds like the tree is rotten."
The Crown has one year to bring forward the charges again with newly collected evidence before they must be withdrawn completely.
More on This;
Read more about the investigation here.
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