RCMP Investgation into WPS HQ

[The Unknown Poster]

Some familiar names to Bombers fans (and prior discussions) in this.  Dont forget the story from earlier this year about the personal cheques Caspien wrote to Sam Katz...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/secret-commission-hq-1.3902708

[The Unknown Poster]

Yowza!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/police-hq-winnipeg-mayor-cao-rcmp-1.3950228

Manitoba RCMP alleged the former head of Winnipeg's public service gave inside information about the city's new police headquarters to a firm that paid him $200,000 — and that he then shared the money with the city's former mayor.

RCMP also alleged Sheegl gave half the $200,000 payment to former Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz and labelled it a loan.

How will Sammy escape charges in this one? 

[The Unknown Poster]

Wow, reading that story.  Unbelievable.  What a couple of corrupt jerks Sammy and Phil were.  Their lawyer's defence seems to be to admit they were all unethical and in conflict and broke rules and maybe broke the law but not that badly and were just buddies helping each other out and everyone knew they were buddies so its everyone else's fault for letting it happen.

The day they issue a warrant for Sammy's arrest....Ill have a glass a wine and think back to the day Sam was a condescending prick to me in his boardroom...and Ill smile.

[JCon]

I'm amazed at how laissez-faire this city has been about the level of corruption going on at city hall.

I hope that, if the evidence is there, that they can take down Sam, Phil, and the contractors and developers involved.

[The Unknown Poster]

15 minutes ago, JCon said:

I'm amazed at how laissez-faire this city has been about the level of corruption going on at city hall.

I hope that, if the evidence is there, that they can take down Sam, Phil, and the contractors and developers involved.

These submission seem to indicate the RCMP are determined to get their man, or men.  I can see Phil getting busted but I bet they all protect Sammy.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

[Atomic]

Good luck putting charges on these slippery snakes.  It's not their first rodeo

[The Unknown Poster]

15 minutes ago, Atomic said:

Good luck putting charges on these slippery snakes.  It's not their first rodeo

Which makes you wonder why Phil was so blatant about it via emails etc.  Im not sure the lawyer helps when he says the $100,000 payment from Phil to Sam is "just business" and then essentially admits it was mis-labeled as a loan but was done maybe for "tax purposes".  he's basically saying these guys are shady unethical crooks...but not THAT bad. 

[Atomic]

25 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Which makes you wonder why Phil was so blatant about it via emails etc.  Im not sure the lawyer helps when he says the $100,000 payment from Phil to Sam is "just business" and then essentially admits it was mis-labeled as a loan but was done maybe for "tax purposes".  he's basically saying these guys are shady unethical crooks...but not THAT bad. 

For sure.  The "tax purposes" one definitely stands out, but can you charge someone with a crime based on that, and can you convict them?  I'm not a lawyer so I really don't know.  Should be interesting to watch this unfold but I don't expect any real consequences.

[The Unknown Poster]

Maybe they have to go after Sammy like they went after Capone. For tax evasion. 

Can you imagine the circus that would be San Katz on criminal trial in Winnipeg? Lol

[The Unknown Poster]

 

[bustamente]

Absolutely nothing will come from this investigation, been happening in this city for many years, if anybody has dealt with Sam they know what he is all about, it's sad but in this city he is bulletproof.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

[The Unknown Poster]

It gets better...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/caspian-fire-canada-post-1.3951774?cmp=rss

Winnipeg police responding to a suspicious fire in a Transcona industrial building made an unusual discovery — boxes of scorched documents that the RCMP later scooped up as part of their fraud investigation into Canada Post's Winnipeg mail-processing plant.

The structure is owned by a numbered company controlled by Armik Babakhanians, the president of Caspian Construction, the company at the centre of RCMP investigations into construction of the $100-million-plus Canada Post facility near Richardson International Airport and the $214-million Winnipeg police headquarters. Caspian was the contractor hired for both jobs.

Arriving at the scene in Transcona just before noon, firefighters found signs of a break-in and asked the Winnipeg Police Service to investigate what appeared to be a suspicious fire.

About three hours later, Winnipeg police arson investigator Det. Sgt. Kathy Antymis called up one of the RCMP officers assigned to the Mounties' investigation of the construction of the police headquarters and the Canada Post mail-sorting facility.

The RCMP received permission from a judge to hold on to mail-processing-plant construction records such as this invoice, marked "inflated." (RCMP)

"On the 2nd floor I observed what appeared to be a room filled with cardboard boxes. Some were on shelves, others were on the floor and appeared to be partly burned," Chanel said in a sworn affidavit provided to a judge in order to obtain a search warrant for the building.

"I observed two rubber maid bins and a cardboard bankers box which contained numerous manila file folders which appeared to be filled with documents."

Binders marked 'true' and 'inflated'

The folders were marked "Winnipeg Mail Processing Plant," wrote Chanel, who had reviewed mail-sorting facility files seized by RCMP during a raid on Caspian Construction's McGillivray Boulevard headquarters in December 2014.

The files found during that raid, which was part of the police headquarters investigation, included two binders containing mail-sorting-plant invoices marked "true" and "inflated," Chanel alleged in her affidavit.

Chanel said she had met with Canada Post in February 2016 to review their construction contract with Caspian and look over change orders related to the project.

"The contracts indicated that concerning change orders, Caspian was entitled to claim true cost, plus 10% overhead and 10% profit. The review showed on some change orders, Canada Post is believed to have paid Caspian costs at an inflated rate, based on invoices which are believed to have been altered," Chanel wrote in an affidavit attached to an August 2016 court order that allowed RCMP to hold on to seized material.

[Taynted_Fayth]

22 hours ago, Atomic said:

For sure.  The "tax purposes" one definitely stands out, but can you charge someone with a crime based on that, and can you convict them?  I'm not a lawyer so I really don't know.  Should be interesting to watch this unfold but I don't expect any real consequences.

I'm sure they can be charged with tax fraud if they are falsifying the information leading to tax breaks.  I think the bigger issue would be to determine if they were done purposely or if it was in fact a mistake

[FrostyWinnipeg]

3 hours ago, The Unknown Poster said:

It gets better...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/caspian-fire-canada-post-1.3951774?cmp=rss

Winnipeg police responding to a suspicious fire in a Transcona industrial building made an unusual discovery — boxes of scorched documents that the RCMP later scooped up as part of their fraud investigation into Canada Post's Winnipeg mail-processing plant.

[The Unknown Poster]

http://www.630ched.com/syn/107/176403/sheegl-katz-horrified-over-rcmp-allegations

WINNIPEG – The lawyer that represents both former CAO Phil Sheegl and former mayor Sam Katz is speaking out following new RCMP allegations surrounding the construction of the downtown police headquarters.

Robert Tapper says his clients are “horrified” and describes the entire two year investigation as “sloppy.”

Court documents obtained by Global News allege Sheegl was paid $200,000 by Caspian Construction, which is owned by Armik Babakhanians, for giving the company the contract to build the police headquarters within the former Canada Post Office on Graham Avenue.

Mounties also allege Sheegl appeared to have shared that money with Katz.

“It’s a nasty allegation and unfortunately for my clients, it is very public, very harmful, and 100 per cent inaccurate,” said Robert Tapper, attorney for both Sheegl and Katz.

Tapper says the payment was part of a real estate deal on a piece of property in Arizona.

“The $200,000 was simply a down payment towards a $327,000 acquisition by Babakhanians of an interest held by Phil Sheegl and Sam Katz on some land basically outside Phoenix,” Tapper said.

Tapper admitted that while the optics of this deal look bad, he says everyone has known for years about Katz’s real estate deals in Arizona and his business agreements with Sheegl.

 

Uh huh.  So it wasnt a bribe to gain a city contract.  Its just that Phil and Sammy owned property and the construction company owner bought into for $200,000 which was funneled through shell companies rather then the two principles and then half of which was given to Sammy and marked as a "loan", ostensibly to avoid paying taxes.  And coincidentally, Babas' desire to buy into this deal occured right after he was awarded a city contract by Phil.  Sure, sounds above board to me.

[Mike]

For a third of the price of their lawyer, I could come up with a defense that is just as reasonable as what he's put out there.

 

[The Unknown Poster]

3 minutes ago, Mike said:

For a third of the price of their lawyer, I could come up with a defense that is just as reasonable as what he's put out there.

 

 

Im shocked.  It sort of tells me they are worried and trying to win a PR war if an opinion is requested from the Crown and they are sort of on the fence.  Basically this lawyer is saying what they did was wrong, looked terrible and we can see why people are mad.  But it was business a usual to them, everyone knew how they were and as wrong as it might have been, it wasnt illegal.

Im reminded of the time Sammy first ran for Mayor and PROMISED to place the Goldeyes into a blind trust to avoid any appearance of conflict and when he won he said nope, Im not doing that because I know I am not in conflict.  He's a liar and a scoundrel.  And anyone who has done business with him (such as myself) knows that to be true.

[The Unknown Poster]

Sammy having more bad days

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-hall-kick-back-investigation-puts-shaw-park-lease-into-question-sources-412349933.html

Might be behind firewall but essentially, Sammy has been in discussions with the city about renewing the lease on the Goldeyes ballpark.  Lease expires in 2023 at conclusion of the original 25 year lease.  Sammy's holding company Riverside Park Management, was paying $1 per year lease to the city.

Anonymous city sources are saying they cannot ignore the reports coming out of the WPS HQ investigation.  But probably the bigger issue here is the councilors feeling $1 per year is ridiculous and Sammy should have to pay fair market value.

[JCon]

37 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Sammy having more bad days

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-hall-kick-back-investigation-puts-shaw-park-lease-into-question-sources-412349933.html

Might be behind firewall but essentially, Sammy has been in discussions with the city about renewing the lease on the Goldeyes ballpark.  Lease expires in 2023 at conclusion of the original 25 year lease.  Sammy's holding company Riverside Park Management, was paying $1 per year lease to the city.

Anonymous city sources are saying they cannot ignore the reports coming out of the WPS HQ investigation.  But probably the bigger issue here is the councilors feeling $1 per year is ridiculous and Sammy should have to pay fair market value.

That's all hindsight. When he signed the original agreement, he was building a baseball park in downtown Winnipeg. No one else was building on that plot.

Do I think it should continue at $1/year after 2023? No, absolutely not.

But do I think it was a fair deal for both parties at the time? Yes, I do. Both sides took risk and it turns out Sammy made out better.

[The Unknown Poster]

16 minutes ago, JCon said:

That's all hindsight. When he signed the original agreement, he was building a baseball park in downtown Winnipeg. No one else was building on that plot.

Do I think it should continue at $1/year after 2023? No, absolutely not.

But do I think it was a fair deal for both parties at the time? Yes, I do. Both sides took risk and it turns out Sammy made out better.

And thats what the comments in the article say as well, that it was a deal at the time but the City does not want to renew under the same terms.

[JCon]

8 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

And thats what the comments in the article say as well, that it was a deal at the time but the City does not want to renew under the same terms.

Ah. Sorry, got the impression that our city councillors wanted to revisit the current agreement.

I wish there was more transparency in this entire land/real estate process.

[Jacquie]

If the City were to be able to have access to how much the Goldeyes and the ballpark are worth and set the lease accordingly, would that have any effect on the old Crocus stuff?

Edited February 1, 2017 by Jacquie

[The Unknown Poster]

Wasnt there also a dispute over the adjacent parking lot at the Goldeyes that got a sweetheart deal from the city once Sammy was Mayor?