Broadcast time: 11:30Date: Monday, March 1, 2021Unit: Financial Crimes UnitPhone: 416-808-7300Case #: 2021-357486The Toronto Police Service has made several arrests in a year-long employment fraud investigation.In February 2020, 52 Division received numerous complaints about a suspected employment fraud targeting victims in the GTA.Working collaboratively, investigators from 52 Division, Fraud, Major Crime and the Financial Crimes Unit’s Mass Marketing Section launched the wide-scale investigation known as Project Drop.It is alleged that:- individuals were operating a sophisticated scam that included repeatedly sending out hundreds of thousands of SMS text messages to cellular phones across the GTA- the texts advertised employment opportunities for couriers to deliver loans for a small GTA based lending company- victims were instructed to pick up and deposit what they thought were legitimate business cheques, then pay funds to other individuals in cash, Bitcoin or e-transfer- all of the cheques were eventually discovered to be well-made forgeriesInvestigators were able to identify several individuals they allege are responsible for the fraud. This resulted in members of the Financial Crimes Unit, 52 Division and 14 Division executing search warrants at locations in Toronto and Mississauga, including a a downtown Toronto condominium unit suspected to be the operations centre for this fraud scam.Officers seized cheque forging materials, electronic devices and SIM cards that were allegedly used to blast out the mass marketing texts, and arrested four people. It is also further alleged that one of the individuals arrested was in possession of fraudulent government identities under the name of Anne-Catherine Robert.Britanny Broad, 23 of Mississauga, is facing the following five charges:1. Fraud Over $50002. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence3. Possession of Counterfeit Mark4. Possession of Proceeds of Crime5. Identity TheftEnosch Falaise, 32 of Laval, Quebec, is facing the following four charges:1. Fraud Over $50002. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence3. Possession of Proceeds of Crime4. Having Instruments for CounterfeitingJerry Revolus, 29 of Laval, Quebec, is facing the following two charges:1. Fraud Over $50002. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable OffenceSydney Saget, 35 of Longueil, Quebec, is facing the following two charges:1. Fraud Over $50002. Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable OffenceAll four were scheduled to appear at court on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at 10 a.m., at Old City Hall, 60 Queen Street West, room 112.The Toronto Police Service would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance: The Ministry of Finance and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).If you believe you have been a victim of similar circumstances, or any other fraud, contact your local police.For further information on fraud and preventative strategies, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website @ https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm.Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7300, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

[Read More]