August 25, 2005 -- Members of a telemarketing ring have been arrested by the Toronto Police Service Fugitive Squad with the assistance from the Toronto Strategic Partnership in Deceptive Telemarketing.  

The Toronto Strategic Partnership is a multi-law enforcement agency response to Mass Marketing Fraud. It includes the TPS Fraud Squad, OPP Anti-Rackets, Phonebusters, York Regional Police Service, RCMP-GTA Commercial Crime Section, Ministry of Consumer and Business Services, Competition Bureau, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.K.– Office of Fair Trading and the Federal Trade Commission.

 

The Toronto Strategic Partnership is committed to expediting all outstanding extradition requests to ensure Canadian Telemarketers have no sanctuary from meaningful prosecutions in the United States.

 

Following a lengthy investigation these arrests were carried out yesterday and earlier this morning by members of the TPS Fugitive Squad, Provincial ROPE Squad and the Toronto Strategic Partnership.

 

During the years 1998 and 2001, a telemarketing scheme was set up and perpetuated in Canada and the target victims were mainly United States citizens.

 

Investigations were conducted into activities of companies known as ROCKWELL, DUMOR and SAFEGUARD. These companies were advance fee loan brokers. The victims would answer advertisements taken out in various American newspapers and call the companies for a loan. The fictitious company would ask for an advance fee to secure insurance for the loan. The victims would forward the fee to the company in anticipation of receiving their loans, which did not exist.

 

No loans were ever issued and no money was ever refunded

There were approximately 4,000 victims with a loss to the American consumers in excess of 4 million dollars.

 

The United States government made a formal request for the Extradition of these persons. The Minister of Justice issued an Authority to Proceed pursuant to the Extradition Act of Canada.

 

ARRESTED

 

1: Michael WILLIAMS, 33 Years

2: Kevin CARD, 34 Years

3: Leslie CARD, 36 Years

4: Bennie SANDERS, 33 Years

5: Denyse BENJAMIN, 28 Years

6: Etheline GAY, 29 Years

Two parties are still outstanding.

 

These parties were arrested on the Extradition Warrant pursuant to the Extradition Act of Canada and are to appear at 361 University Ave -Superior Court later this date.