2 GTA residents facing fraud charges following invoicing scheme at U.S. construction company: OPP
An Ontario Provincial Police vehicle is pictured. (Source: OPP)
Two people are facing fraud charges in connection with an invoicing scheme at a construction services company, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say.
OPP, along with the Serious Fraud Office for Ontario (SFO), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), launched an investigation at the start of February 2020.
Officers say the probe looked into the fraudulent invoicing scheme stemming from a Canadian subsidiary of an unidentified American construction services company.
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The joint investigation looked at alleged false invoices created for work that was neither requested nor completed. Those involved allegedly received money from cheques that were used to pay the fake invoices, resulting in losses of more than $300,000.
Police say a former accountant from the construction services has been charged by American authorities.
Two people from the Greater Toronto Area are facing charges in relation to the invoicing scheme. Peter Lavorato, 47, of Woodbridge, is facing three counts of fraud over $5,000, while Giovanni Imbesis, 47, also of Woodbridge, is charged with one count of fraud over $5,000.
The charges have not been tested in court.
The SFO refused to provide further comment to protect the integrity of the ensuing court process.
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