canadian
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
TORONTO
Ontario's Progressive Conservatives were in damage control mode Thursday after a former candidate for the upcoming fall election was charged with fraud.
Toronto police say Salman Farooq was arrested Wednesday evening at his home in Woodbridge, northwest of the city.
Farooq, 35, was the Tory candidate in the Pickering-Scarborough East riding, but stepped down recently citing health reasons.
Opposition Leader Tim Hudak was not available for comment, but party officials said they were unaware of the police investigation into Farooq's business dealings until the case became public Thursday.
Police say Farooq faces 14 charges that include alleged mortgage and credit card frauds.
Party spokesman Alan Sakach said Thursday that the Tories received several complaints of alleged fraud by Farooq dating as far back as September.
The party has a "vigorous" screening process for all potential candidates, which includes a criminal record check, a credit bureau report and a bankruptcy and insolvency check, said Sakach. That didn't send up any red flags, he said.
Farooq also attested during the screening process that there was nothing in his personal or professional background or experience that would reflect badly on his candidacy or bring disrepute or dishonour to the party, Sakach said.
"Mr. Farooq clearly lied to the Ontario PC Party," he wrote in an email.
Farooq was reportedly scheduled to appear at a bail hearing Thursday. A message sent to his Facebook account was not immediately returned.
The party says it received an anonymous email last September alleging that Farooq was engaged in mortgage fraud. That was followed by a similar complaint from a credit collection agency, Sakach said.
The party started an investigation and met with Farooq, who denied the claims, Sakach said, adding the allegations were withdrawn within a week and the party investigation was dropped.
Then in mid-February, the party received an anonymous call from a man alleging he was defrauded by Farooq. The man met with party director Brian Patterson. Following that meeting, Patterson told Farooq that the party would launch another investigation, said Sakach.
Within two weeks, Farooq "tendered his resignation as a candidate citing health reasons," Sakach wrote.
A police news release alleges that Farooq bought a home and obtained a mortgage by fraudulent means in June 2007.
Farooq is also accused of using fraudulently obtained credit card data to buy airline tickets in December 2009, and of being part of a failed attempt to deposit a stolen, forged cheque into a false business account in April 2010.
Police say there may be other alleged victims.
The Globe and Mail reported that Farooq -- before bowing out of the campaign this week -- had hosted dinner parties with Hudak and federal candidates Peter Kent and Chris Alexander.
Sakach did not confirm or deny those claims.
Three weeks ago, Hudak was forced to defend another Tory candidate.
He disputed allegations that his party had recruited a candidate for Markham-Unionville with links to the Tamil Tigers.
The Globe and Mail reported Shan Thayaparan was a returning officer for the National Council of Canadian Tamils and that the group's key adviser is a former spokesman for the outlawed World Tamil Movement.
Sakach said they thoroughly investigated the allegations involving Thayaparan and "there was nothing there."
At the time, Hudak said he was satisfied there was nothing to the reports because Thayaparan passed the party's screening process.
The federal Conservatives added the separatist Tamil Tigers to its official list of terrorist organizations in April 2006, making it a crime to fundraise for the group. It banned the World Tamil Movement -- the Tigers' Canadian fundraising arm -- two years later.(http://ctestp.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110331/110331candidatecharged/20110331/?hub=CP24Home)
