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Money laundering guilty plea
Aug. 18, 2006. 12:26 PM
JOHN DUNCANSON
STAFF REPORTER
A Toronto lawyer, once considered a rainmaker in city and provincial politics, pleaded guilty to money laundering this morning as his friends including police brass, a former general and a judge looked on.
Peter Shoniker, a former crown attorney was charged in June, 2002 with four counts of money laundering in an RCMP sting operation, involving the movement of $750,000 in cash to a New York bank account.
Shoniker's co-accused Babak (Bobby) Adeli Tabrizi, a Toronto jeweller, did not appear in court today. His case is expected to be heard in September.
Crown attorney Jeffrey Manishen told the court that Shoniker, who is now a Bay St. investment lawyer, met with an undercover police officer in 2003.
Shoniker was told by the undercover officer, that the money had been skimmed from a union pension account.
Shoniker then made four transactions to a bank account in New York, that unknown to him was controlled by the police.
Shoniker's arrest was part of a larger corruption probe that had led to other charges against Toronto police officers. He is the first one to be convicted criminally in the RCMP-led probe which began in 2001.
Shoniker is considered well-connected in provincial Conservative politics and is credited with bringing Jiulian Fantino to Toronto as police chief in 1999.
Fantino was in court today to show support, along with other prominent friends, included retired General Lewis Mackenzie and former deputy police chief Steve Reesor.
Aug. 18, 2006. 12:26 PM
JOHN DUNCANSON
STAFF REPORTER
A Toronto lawyer, once considered a rainmaker in city and provincial politics, pleaded guilty to money laundering this morning as his friends including police brass, a former general and a judge looked on.
Peter Shoniker, a former crown attorney was charged in June, 2002 with four counts of money laundering in an RCMP sting operation, involving the movement of $750,000 in cash to a New York bank account.
Shoniker's co-accused Babak (Bobby) Adeli Tabrizi, a Toronto jeweller, did not appear in court today. His case is expected to be heard in September.
Crown attorney Jeffrey Manishen told the court that Shoniker, who is now a Bay St. investment lawyer, met with an undercover police officer in 2003.
Shoniker was told by the undercover officer, that the money had been skimmed from a union pension account.
Shoniker then made four transactions to a bank account in New York, that unknown to him was controlled by the police.
Shoniker's arrest was part of a larger corruption probe that had led to other charges against Toronto police officers. He is the first one to be convicted criminally in the RCMP-led probe which began in 2001.
Shoniker is considered well-connected in provincial Conservative politics and is credited with bringing Jiulian Fantino to Toronto as police chief in 1999.
Fantino was in court today to show support, along with other prominent friends, included retired General Lewis Mackenzie and former deputy police chief Steve Reesor.