Crime

The Ontario government has recovered more than $11 million in COVID-19 relief funds that were allegedly stolen, the Star has learned.

As first disclosed two months ago, the money was allegedly embezzled from the $378-million Support for Families program launched by Premier Doug Ford early in the pandemic.

In documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court, the province alleges “some or all of” Sanjay Madan, his spouse, Shalini Madan — who have both been terminated as government computer specialists — their adult sons, Chinmaya and Ujjawal Madan, and associate Vidhan Singh perpetrated “a massive fraud” to funnel some $11 million in payments to hundreds of TD and Bank of Montreal accounts.

Two months after a one-year old boy was killed in a police shooting in rural Ontario, the officers involved have still not spoken to investigators, according to a police watchdog.

Ontario’s special investigations unit (SIU) said that none of the officers who opened fire on a pickup truck on 27 November have agreed to interviews, adding that they had no legal obligation to do so.

“Understandably, there is a pressing public interest in this case, including how the child died and whether it was gunfire from the father or [Ontario police] officers that caused the death,” the SIU said in a statement on Friday, acknowledging growing frustration over delays and criticisms of its opaque investigative process.

The Ontario government computer specialist fired after the alleged theft of $11 million in COVID-19 funds flew to India with “tens of thousands of dollars in cash” shortly after being confronted about the missing money, court documents say.

Sanjay Madan, terminated in November from his $176,608-a-year Ministry of Education job, withdrew about $80,000 from his CIBC account in August, according to new civil court filings by his lawyer, Christopher Du Vernet.

In September, Madan — who has Canadian and Indian citizenship as well as permanent residency status in Panama, a tax haven that has no extradition treaty with Canada — jetted to India, where he owns two villas.

As the calendar flipped to 2021, the police investigation into the deaths of Canadian billionaire philanthropists Honey and Barry Sherman entered its fourth year.

The double homicide remains unsolved, but recently released court documents reveal more details about the discovery of the couple’s bodies in December 2017 and that their son Jonathon told police the Shermans had enemies.

Toronto police have said they have a number of people who they consider persons of interest and, in a statement to CBC News, insist the case hasn’t gone cold.

When Amir Abdulraman and his 17-year-old friend were pulled over by police on New Years Eve, there was already a warrant out for the older teen’s arrest.

Abdulraman, 19, was wanted for assault when Sgt. Andrew Harnett initiated a traffic stop in the city’s northeast. The vehicle he stopped struck and dragged him, killing him.

Both Abdulrahman and the 17-year-old youth are now charged with the first-degree murder of Harnett.