A look at the 'suspicious properties' bought in alleged London hospital fraud scheme
Among the most expensive properties is an almost $2M home on a sizable lot in north London
Court documents highlighting a multi-year fraud scheme at the London Health Sciences Centre that saw millions of dollars allegedly siphoned from the public institution suggests the money was put into real estate in London, Toronto and a beach community on Lake Simcoe.
Details filed in a statement of claim this week at the London courthouse suggest 63 "suspicious properties" were purchased by the defendants involved in what is described as a "multi-year campaign of deceit and theft."
Dipesh Patel, the hospital's vice president of facilities for 11 years, allegedly awarded contracts to a "close contact" for work at the hospital that was not done or resulted in cost overruns, court documents said.
Paresh Soni, the friend, was in charge of BH Contractors and a collective of companies that fell under the name GBI. Starting in the fall of 2013, Soni's companies allegedly received millions by dodging bidding rules and circumventing other procurement rules.
None of the allegations have been proven in court, and statements of defence have yet to be filed. CBC News has reached out to the defendants for comment but has not received a response.
See where some of the 'suspicious properties' are located
A closer look
Between Patel and Soni, and including Patel's spouse, the claim infers that the money acquired from the scheme was allegedly used to buy houses, calling them 'suspicious properties'. The claim points out when they were bought in relation to contracts awarded by LHSC to the defendants.
Court documents show that Soni owned the most properties, purchasing 42 apartments and houses between 2017 and 2024 with an estimated total value of $14 million. The first house was bought "shortly after GBI won a significant multi-year contract to provide LHSC with facilities maintenance services," the claim said.
Patel bought 17 properties that have an estimated value of $14 million starting in 2017, the year he was hired by LHSC and "after BH Contractor won the bid for the [University Hospital] Window Replacement Contract."
Patel's wife Varsha Patel, who is also named in the lawsuit, bought four properties starting in 2020 "during the period in which the Fraudulent Scheme occurred," court documents said.
8 Denlaw Rd.
A duplex unit, at 8 Denlaw Rd., is the first property purchased in connection with the alleged fraud. Property records show it was purchased by a numbered company owned by Soni.
The property was purchased for $201,416 on Apr. 20, 2017.
Culver Drive townhouses
Multiple units at a townhouse complex at 1775 Culver Dr. are under the ownership of a numbered company registered by Soni, according to property ownership records.
Units 28, 200, 176, 214, 180 and 146 are all owned by the numbered company in question, 2610182 Ontario Inc. Unit 146 was purchased for $382,500 on Jul. 16, 2021.
Toronto condominium
Among a number of out-of-town properties lawyers claim was purchased with funds obtained through the alleged scheme is a fourth-floor condo at 500 Wilson Ave., in Toronto.
It was purchased for $542,699 on Jan. 22, 2025 by Varsha Patel, according to property records.
Lakeside home
The most recent property lawyers claim was purchased with funds obtained through the alleged scheme is a single detached home just just two kilometres away from the shores of Lake Simcoe.
Property records obtained by CBC News show 37 Ian Dr. in the community of Keswick in Georgina, Ont., was purchased by Dipesh Patel on Mar. 14, 2025, for $848,000.
North London fixer-upper
Among the most expensive properties listed in the suit is a home on a large lot in a north London neighbourhood often known as Pill Hill.
Property records show 1517 Gloucester Rd. was purchased by Dipesh and Varsha Patel for $1.8 million on July 18, 2023.
CBC News arrived to find the property overgrown with vegetation and parts of the one-storey home's exterior damaged, with a for-sale sign pitching it as the perfect opportunity for someone looking to build something new on the sizeable property.
The same pitch is written on a real estate listing that asks for $1.95 million in exchange for the deed.
