Three men arrested after Toronto senior defrauded of more than $1M in reno scheme
FILE - Carpenters work on new home in a newly constructed subdivision on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021. This image is for illustrative purposes only. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Sean Kilpatrick)
Toronto police have arrested three men who allegedly ran a contracting scheme that defrauded a 75-year-old woman of over $1,000,000.
In a release issued Tuesday, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said the woman hired a contractor to do renovations at her residence near Yonge Street and Sheppard Avenue West in Toronto.
Investigators allege the contractor defrauded the woman of over $1,000,000.
From Feb. 2011 to Oct. 2022, police identified 14 additional victims in the Greater Toronto Area. They had all been defrauded in the same manner, according to police, totalling a combined loss of $400,000. Five of these victims were also elderly, they said.
On Nov. 14, Antonio Sinopoli, 54, Wayne McNeil, 45, and Francesco Sinopoli, 27, – all residents of Toronto – were arrested.
Antonio is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, one count of possession of proceeds of crime, and one count of laundering proceeds of crime.
McNeil is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000, while Francesco is charged with one count of fraud of $5,000.
Investigators say the three men operated a number of company names, including ‘In Times for Finishing Touches,’ ‘Scala Exteriors,’ ‘AFS Contracting and Design,’ and ‘Upper Level Renovations.’
Recent reviews on HomeStar.com for ‘In Times for Finishing Touches’ detail a number of unfinished projects.
“Took deposit and never finished the job,” one user wrote. “Often never showed up to work.”
“The upstairs (main) bathroom was ripped out at the end of February, but still not usable in September - not functionable in any way....and we are seniors, so this is very hard for us,” wrote another.
The three men are scheduled to attend court on Dec. 16 at 1000 Finch Avenue West, in room 301 at 2:30 p.m.
Anyone with information is being asked by police to call 416-808-7318, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or submit a tip online at www.222tips.com.
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