Man charged after allegedly soliciting funds using fake Ontario magazine for more than a decade

A man in his 50s from Oakville, Ont. has been arrested and charged after allegedly selling advertisements and soliciting funds using a fake magazine for more than a decade.
Investigators allege that, between April 2011 and May 2023, an individual solicited funds for a fake publication, entitled ‘Ontario Police Public Safety News.’
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
They would tell business owners that the publication was widely distributed in Ontario in an effort to sell ad placements, investigators allege. The suspect also told individuals that funds would be donated to community and educational programs for children, they said.
“The magazine was not widely distributed,” TPS said in its release. “The community programs do not exist.”
Due to the name of the magazine, the victims involved believed the accused was affiliated with police services, it states.
A logo for the fake publication can be seen above. (TPS handout)
On Monday, Toronto police said 58-year-old Azher Hyder had been arrested and charged with one count of fraud over $5,000.
Hyder is scheduled to make his first appearance at the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on Nov. 10.
Police are asking anyone who believes they may have been an alleged victim of Hyder to contact them. TPS’ Financial Crime Unit also issued a reminder that police services do not solicit funds for any purpose.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Widow takes Ontario police to court over declaration misconduct in her husband's death was 'not serious'
A grieving widow is taking the Ontario Provincial Police to court as she challenges its decision to call the misconduct of an officer that contributed to her husband’s death 'not of a serious nature.'
Federal government to announce details of dental insurance plan
Several government ministers are expected to launch today a new federal dental insurance plan that will provide benefits directly to eligible Canadian residents, though the first claims won't be processed until May.
Year in search: What did Canadians Google in 2023?
From the Women's World Cup and Jeremy Renner to the Titan submersible, deadly earthquakes and the war in Gaza, Canadians searched far and wide on Google this year. These are the top queries in Canada for 2023.
Nearly half of Canadians think carbon tax is ineffective at fighting climate change: Nanos
A new survey has found that Canadians are feeling slightly more confident in the carbon tax’s effectiveness at combatting climate change than they were a few months ago—but uncertainty is still high.
Several seriously injured when construction site elevator crashes to the ground in Sweden
A construction site elevator plunged to the ground in Stockholm on Monday, seriously injuring five people, Swedish authorities said.
Israel battles militants in Gaza's main cities, with civilians trapped in the fighting
Israeli forces battled Palestinian militants in Gaza's two largest cities on Monday, with civilians still trapped in the fighting even after hundreds of thousands have fled to other parts of the besieged territory.
'Barbie' leads Golden Globe nominations with 9, followed closely by 'Oppenheimer'
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” dominated the Golden Globe Awards nominations with nine nods for the blockbuster film, including best picture musical or comedy as well as acting nominations for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling and three of its original songs.
BlackBerry appoints new CEO
BlackBerry said on Monday it appointed John Giamatteo as CEO, effective immediately.
Buckingham Palace releases this year’s Christmas card
Buckingham Palace released an image of the Christmas card that King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be sending out this year.