Quebec provincial police have dismantled what they say is an elaborate attempt by the Hells Angels to bully their way into the province's bricklaying industry and use legitimate businesses for money-laundering… "From the information we received, a member in good standing of the Hells Angels was trying to gain control of a number of bricklaying companies through threats, intimidation and extortion,"…
The Toronto Star
November 3, 2009
Hells Angels bricklayer plot busted
Police say businesses bullied to launder cash
Alleged ringleader Normand Marvin "Casper" Ouimet is at large. HANDOUT/THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL–Quebec provincial police have dismantled what they say is an elaborate attempt by the Hells Angels to bully their way into the province's bricklaying industry and use legitimate businesses for money-laundering.
The 10 arrests Tuesday were unrelated to Operation Hammer, the province's high-profile probe into allegations of Mafia-related activity in the construction industry.
They stemmed from an investigation into a network headed by the alleged boss of the biker gang's Trois-Rivières chapter, Normand Marvin "Casper" Ouimet, whom police now want to arrest but can't find. They have seized property of his worth $9 million.
"From the information we received, a member in good standing of the Hells Angels was trying to gain control of a number of bricklaying companies through threats, intimidation and extortion," said Insp. Denis Morin.
"Our investigation showed that he was trying to create a consortium of masonry companies and obtain control of the sector, but the second objective was to be able to launder money."
To launder money, police allege, Ouimet used three approaches:
* Taking over businesses in financial difficulty by propping them up with drug money, laundering money through false billing and under-the-table payments to employees, and threatening businesses that wouldn't play along.
* Purchasing a number of properties with cash, in the hope of constructing buildings on the land as a way of both laundering money and increasing revenues.
* Seeking foreign tax havens to invest cash abroad.
Among those arrested were the head of a masonry company, a real estate agent, a couple of accountants, a union representative and an alleged biker-gang member.
They face a total of 143 charges.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/720784--hells-angels-bricklayer-plot-busted
Brought to you by WikidFranchise.org
Risks: Bullying, Extortion, Money laundering, Organized crime, Organized crime infiltrates legitimate businesses, Proceeds of crime, Threats of physical violence, Canada, 20091104 Hells angels
