Guelph (July 24, 2020) – The police arrested two men in two unconnected mortgage fraud cases. On July 20, Guelph police laid 31 charges against the former mortgage broker, Charn Ghuman, following an eight-years fraud investigation. The Guelph man allegedly collected approximately $8 million of 15 victims, who suffered financial losses, in a series of mortgage frauds between 1995 and 2014. Peel Regional Police arrested Sukhdippal Singh Matharu on July 14 in relation to mortgage services frauds. The Brampton man allegedly bilked his victims out of $35,000 from his Mississauga office between 2017 and 2019. In both cases, investigators believe there may be more victims.
Authorities made arrests in two unconnected mortgage fraud cases. Guelph police laid 31 fraud-related charges following an eight-year mortgage fraud investigation, according to two press releases issued on July 21 and July 23. The Peel Regional Police announced in a press release from July 22 that their Fraud Bureau arrested a Brampton man, who is accused of having conducted mortgage services frauds out of his Mississauga office.
31 charges laid against alleged Guelph mortgage fraudster
Charn Ghuman, a now 73-year-old Guelph man, operated mortgage brokerages between 1995 and 2014 under various names at 268 Waterloo Avenue and 715 Wellington Street in Guelph. The Guelph police launched an investigation in 2012, after multiple investors issued complaints about a local mortgage broker.
Investigators revealed a series of mortgage frauds while Ghuman was operating his brokerages. Police alleged that he collected approximately $8 million in investments and paid just over $1 million in interest back. He is accused of using funds from other investors to pay the interest.
On July 20, Guelph police arrested Ghuman. He has been charged with 22 counts Utter Forged Document, 4 counts Use a Forged Document, 4 counts Fraud Over $5000, and Mischief to Data. The Guelph man was released on an Undertaking with conditions and is expected to appear in court on November 3.
The police said that to date they know of 15 victims, who have suffered financial losses in this case. However, police believe there may be more. Anyone, who has information that could assist the Guelph Police, please contact Detective Constable Jackie Egger at jegger@guelphpolice.ca or 519-824-1212 ext. 7179.
Anyone, who wishes to inquire fraud recovery information on their own case, or wishes to report fraud with whistleblower protection, please contact D. Slenys of Investigation Counsel PC at 416-637-3151 or dslenys@investigationcounsel.com.
Brampton man charged for mortgage services frauds out of his Mississauga office
Peel Regional Police discovered that between March 2017 and February 2019, several victims allegedly paid money to a mortgage consultant, who agreed to process their mortgage applications. The victims were encouraged to pay in cash for the mortgage service. Later, the victims learned that no work was ever completed, their money was gone, and whereupon the consultant ceased all communication with them.
Following their investigation, on July 14, Peel police arrested Sukhdippal Singh Matharu from Brampton, who operated ‘Popular Mortgages’ on Derry Road East in Mississauga. ‘In many Fraud related cases, people in vulnerable situations are coerced, manipulated, and taken advantage of for the profit of the fraudster,’ police said in their press release.
The 45-year-old Matharu has been charged with Defraud the Public in relation to the mortgage services frauds. He was released with conditions and scheduled to appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton on September 21.
Police identified victims, who have been defrauded out of $35,000. But, investigators believe there might be more victims. The police asked anyone with information to call investigators from the Fraud Bureau at (905) 453–2121, ext. 3335.
Anyone who wishes to inquire fraud recovery information on their own case, or wishes to report fraud with whistleblower protection, please contact D. Slenys of Investigation Counsel PC at 416-637-3151 or dslenys@investigationcounsel.com.
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