Pakistani charged with 14 criminal counts in Canada
April 2nd, 2011 - 5:19 pm ICT by ANIToronto, April 2(ANI): A Pakistani businessman-turned-politician in Canada has been arrested and charged with 14 criminal counts related to mortgage fraud, credit-card fraud and forged cheques.
The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party investigated one of its candidates, Salman Farooq, twice after receiving fraud allegations against him over the past six months, but kept him on as a candidate until early this week, when he quietly stepped down for “health reasons,” The Globe and Mail reports.
Farooq has since been charged with two counts of fraud over 5,000 dollars, two counts of uttering a forged document, attempted fraud over 5,000 dollars, possession of property obtained by crime, possession and use of a credit card obtained by crime, fraudulent possession of credit card data, fraudulent use of credit card data, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, personation with intent, obtaining credit by fraud, and possession of property obtained by crime over 5,000 dollars.
Police said the allegations relate to a conspiracy in April 2010 to open a false business account at a financial institution, possession of a forged cheque “worth several thousands of dollars” that a man was coerced into depositing to that account, the fraudulent use of credit card data to buy airline tickets in December, 2009; and a June, 2007, home purchase using a fraudulent mortgage.
The police said that there could be more complainants against Farooq.
In a statement e-mailed to the newspaper, party spokesman Alan Sakach said that Farooq had cleared background checks and was thoroughly questioned before he became a candidate last July.
He was asked to disclose anything “which, under scrutiny, may reflect negatively” on his candidacy, and attest that nothing about him would “bring disrepute or dishonour to the party.”
“At no time was the Ontario PC Party aware of a police investigation into the business dealings of Salman Farooq,” the statement said.
When asked why the party allowed Farooq to remain a candidate even after receiving complaints against him, Sakach referred to the statement that said the party’s first investigation was dropped “on legal advice,” and the second pre-empted by Farooq’s withdrawal from the campaign.
Farooq was released on bail after three people, including his wife Rabia, put up 100,000 dollars as sureties. (ANI)
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