Warrants issued for organized crime money launderer who may have tried to flee Canada

A Calgary man awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to laundering money for organized crime may have tried to flee the country. Warrants have been issued for his arrest.

Talal Fouani pleaded guilty more than two years ago but has not been sentenced yet as his matter drags through the court process. 

In August 2022, just after he was charged with money laundering, Fouani and his wife were sitting in their Bentley when a man walked up to the vehicle and shot both.

Nakita Baron died, Fouani was injured but survived. 

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Michael Tyrel Arnold, who is from Edmonton, was convicted of murder and attempted murder following a trial earlier this year. 

Fouani believes the shooting was related to his charges before the court.

On Friday, Fouani was supposed to appear in court but did not show up.

'He may have made an attempt to leave Canada'

Federal prosecutor Shelley Tkatch asked Justice Karim Jivraj to issue a warrant for Fouani's arrest. 

"Normally, Mr. Fouani has been very diligent in showing up," said Tkatch. 

"I have received some information that he may have made an attempt to leave Canada a few weeks ago."

Jivraj granted the Crown's request and issued the warrants.

Fouani no longer has a lawyer. 

Yoav Niv, his first lawyer, got off record after the judge denied an application to recuse himself. At the time, Fouani told the court he was broke after paying Niv $500,000 in legal fees. 

Co-accused's charges stayed

Fouani and his second lawyer, Greg Dunn, recently parted ways.

The case was back in court Friday so the judge could be updated on whether Fouani has found a new lawyer to represent him at a three-day sentencing hearing set to take place in August. 

Fouani's convictions related to a police investigation into a massive, cross-border drug trafficking operation involving Mexican cartels.

At the time charges were laid, police said the $55-million drug bust involving nearly one metric tonne of methamphetamine and six kilograms of cocaine was the largest ever in Alberta. 

Last September, just weeks before Fouani's Jordan hearing, the Crown stayed the charges faced by his co-accused, including the alleged leader of the organized crime syndicate, Ricco King. 

Fouani has repeatedly expressed frustration that he was facing jail time when most of his co-accused saw their charges dropped.