Latest from John Lancaster
CBC Investigates
Who are these people? They supposedly worked for a Toronto police board member's companies
A CBC Toronto investigation discovered three seemingly fabricated, or misrepresented, employees on the websites of marketing companies owned by Nadine Spencer, a member of the Toronto Police Service Board.
CBC Investigates
Prominent charity serving Black business community paid $1.5M to 2 board members' companies, records show
Some members of a prominent charity for the Canadian Black business community are calling for its board of directors to resign and for a third-party audit after discovering the non-profit paid two former board members’ companies at least $1.5 million for services while they were on the board or CEO of the charity. The Black Business and Professional Association says it has committed to an independent review.
Airbnb hosts the latest target of alleged fraudsters seeking to steal identities, get mortgages
Toronto police have charged a 42-year-old man in connection with an alleged mortgage fraud scam targeting short-term rental homes. Investigators believe he's part of a larger criminal group.
Ontario regulator warns real estate agents to watch for signs of fraudulent home sales
The body that regulates Ontario's 100,000 real estate agents and brokers is urging them to be more vigilant when verifying the identity of a client, amid a wave of fraudulent home sales and mortgages in the Toronto area.
CBC Investigates
Couple whose Toronto home sold without their knowledge says systems failed to protect them
Nearly a year after discovering something was wrong with their property, a couple is sounding the alarm on how they say current identification requirements in real-estate transactions are failing to protect Ontario homeowners from having their houses sold without their knowledge.
What we know about 'stand-ins' used by organized crime to sell homes without owner's knowledge
The same fraudulent driver's licence was used to rent two Toronto homes that organized crime tried to sell without the homeowner's knowledge, according to a private investigator working on the cases.
How organized crime has mortgaged or sold at least 30 GTA homes without owners' knowledge
CBC Toronto has learned a handful of organized crime groups are behind these real-estate frauds — in which at least 30 homes in the Greater Toronto Area have either been sold or mortgaged without the real owners' knowledge. Those revelations come from a private investigation firm working for a title insurance company to try and get to the bottom of the scams, which are costing insurers millions in claims.
It's happened again. 2nd Toronto home listed for sale without homeowner's knowledge
When Melissa Walsh’s great uncle moved into a long-term care home in late 2021 just before his 95th birthday, her family decided to rent out the east end Toronto home he’s owned since the 1970s to help pay his expenses. Instead, It turned into a "real-estate nightmare."
Toronto businessman accused of $12M pandemic Ponzi scheme found and charged with fraud
A Toronto businessman accused of orchestrating a $12-million pandemic-related Ponzi scheme was arrested and charged with fraud by Toronto police on Monday, just hours after investigators discovered his location, CBC News has learned.
Facing sky-high connection fees, rural Ontarians go off the grid
When Craig Timmermans set out to build a new headquarters for his companies in northern Ontario, he reached out to the power company to find out how much it would charge him to connect to the grid. He was shocked to find out it would cost $80,000.