A lawsuit has been filed in Oshawa, Ontario, against a former Durham Regional Police detective, Robert Silipo, along with five other defendants, seeking nearly $300,000. The suit alleges that Silipo, who was a police officer at the time, collected pre-construction home deposits totaling $299,440 from the plaintiffs, who believed they were engaging in legitimate real estate transactions with Paradise Developments.
Text messages reviewed by CBC News show that Silipo arranged meetings with the plaintiffs near the police station in Oshawa to exchange paperwork for the home purchases, adding a sense of legitimacy to the transactions due to his position as a police officer. Silipo, through his lawyer, denies any wrongdoing and claims to be a victim in this matter, emphasizing that the allegations against him have not been proven in court and no criminal charges have been filed.
The plaintiffs, like other victims previously reported by CBC News, thought they were buying pre-construction homes from Paradise Development Homes Limited, but it was later revealed that this company had no affiliation with the legitimate developer, Paradise Developments. Another defendant in the lawsuit, Moiz Kunwar, faces charges related to the fraudulent scheme and has not responded to requests for comment.
The lawsuit alleges that Kunwar and Silipo misrepresented themselves as representatives of Paradise Homes, facilitating the agreements and deposits. Silipo contends that he was merely a “go-between” at Kunwar’s request and denies any involvement in inducing the purchases or benefiting from them. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Alex Henderson, stated that contact information for Kunwar was not provided until concerns arose about the legitimacy of the transactions, leading to legal action to recover the deposits.
Despite legal efforts, none of the plaintiffs have received their deposits back, causing significant distress, especially for one client who had intended to use the property for his unwell mother. The case remains ongoing, with the defendants maintaining their innocence and asserting their positions will be presented during court proceedings.