Lenny was retained to represent an accused charged with fraud.  The alledged scam involved the use of the Tim Hortons and Starbucks names.  Upon reviewing the disclosure documents it is apparent that the investigation wasn't everything it was cracked up to be.  This case was a classic rush to judgement.

For more information visit: http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_17924.aspx

On April 6, 2006, members of the Huronia Combined Forces Drug Unit, assisted by the Mnjikaning Police Service, Orillia OPP Detachment, the OPP K-9 unit and the Central Region Crime Team, executed a search warrant at 105 Colborne Street Unit 9 in the City of Orillia, yielding the largest crack cocaine seizure ever by OPP. This was a very difficult case. The police had breached my clients rights and I had to prove that to the court and then have the cocaine excluded from evidence. Initially the crown wanted 12 years my client to serve 12 years in jail. O the day of trial, after much research and preparation I was able to work out a resolution where my client would serve 6 months house arrest and make a charitable donation.

Our client operated an unregistered business that went door to door offering paving services.  Although claiming the price for asphalt was minimal it was in fact extremely high.  Additionally, high pressure tactics were employed to seperate the consumer from their money.  This case was resolved quickly and quietly to the full satisfation of the client.

Fed Ex delivered a package to an address in Toronto. No one was available to receive it so it was returned to the Fed Ex stock house.  Fed Ex employees became suspicious and opened the package, and inside they found 11.88 pounds of marihuana.  Fed Ex call the Toronto Police to notify them of what had been uncovered. A sting was set up by Fed Ex and the Toronto Police.  When the reciever of the delivery attened to claim the box he was greeted by an undercover police officer posing as a Fed Ex employee. Upon signing for the delivery he was arrested and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the FTC’s complaint, filed in September 2005, since at least 2004, the defendants used outbound telemarketing to contact consumers in the United States, falsely offering major credit cards, such as MasterCard and Visa, to people who agreed to have the defendants electronically debit their bank accounts for an advance fee of $249. The defendants typically claimed that the credit cards would have a $2,000 credit limit, zero percent interest, and no annual fees, and often targeted their offers at consumers with poor credit histories. Consumers who provided their bank account information did not receive a major credit card, but instead were sent an application for either a “stored value card” or “cash card” that had no line of credit associated with it and could be used only if the consumer first transferred funds onto the card. My client was charged in Ontario with Fraud Over $5000.00.  Eventually the charges were withdrawn at the request of the Crown.

In December, 2005 at 1:00 am, our client was driving south on Leslie Street. He was pulled over by the police for speeding.  The police officer ran his name in the CPIC system and determined that he was subject to a curfew.  Our client vehemently protested stating that he was not on  a curfew and that his probation had ended.  The police officer did not believe him and initiated a search of his person and the vehicle.  The search resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of cocaine.  Our client was arrested and charged accordingly.  We brought a Charter Application stating that the search was a violation as it was based on erroneous information from CPIC.  The application was compelling and the Crown withdrew the charges on the day of trial.

Allegations: Between the spring of 2005 and the autumn of 2006, the provincial Biker Enforcement Unit conducted an investigation of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in Southern Ontario.  The investigation was known as Project Tandem.  During Project Tandem, a police agent purchased drugs and guns from members and associates of  several chapters of the motorcycle club.  The agent was himself a member of the HAMC Oshawa chapter.  Total drugs seized: 2 kilos crystal meth, 10 kilos cocaine, 50 thousand ecstasy pills, 8 kilos of hash and 1 kilo of marihuana, approximate street value of the drugs was 3 million dollars.

For alternative information regarding the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club please visit www.realdealnews.com

An international ring smuggling people from several countries both ways across the Canada-United States border was dismantled after a two year international investigation initiated by the Detroit/Windsor Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET).

Fourteen people were arrested in Toronto, Windsor, Detroit and New York City in February, 2006. The migrants—from China, Korea, Albania, and Eastern Europe— arrived in North America and were then smuggled across the Canada-U.S. border using various methods—hidden in the trunks of automobiles, on rail cars, in the back of transport trucks, and on small boats.

Our client was alleged to have organized the transport, payment and logistics involved in smuggling the migrants.

All Charges faced by our client were withdrawn by the Crown Attorney

Lenny Hochberg represented one of the parties who was also charged with Obstruction of Justice for providing a false name to the police.

Outcome:  Intense negotiation with the Federal Crown Attorney, followed by a meeting with a Judge of the Ontario Court led to the withdrawal of all charges faced by the client.

Lenny Hochberg represented the accused.

Outcome:   The accused made full restitution to the victims.  The judge discharged the accused and ordered him to perform community service.

In March 2007 my client was charged with sexual assault against his young daughter and a number of assaults upon the childs mother.  He told me from the beginning that the charges were a ploy to prevent him from having unsupervised access.  I believed him.  In the face of numerous lenient resolution offers from the Crown Attorney my client persisted and battled to the very end.  After being convinced that they could not win their case the Crown withdrew the sexual assault charge.  The assaults against the former girlfriend went to trial.  The girlfriend testified at the trial, as did my client.  The judge aquitted my client of each and every charge. 

The officers entered the premises and found a fully functional commercial marijuana grow operation on the upper floor and the basement of the premises.  While searching the basement a 12-inch hole was found which housed a device used to tap in to the electricity line.  The upper floor contained three separate grow rooms for cannabis marihuana containing clones or started plants and intermediate plants ranging from one to two feet in height.  On the main floor, police found numerous bags of dirt, liquid fertilizer, and a box made out of plywood used for covering the chimney. In the basement there were three grow rooms as well as a watering station.  A total of 40 ballasts were located in the basement of the residence.  These were used to power the 1,000 watt bulbs with the addition of a separate electronic panel dedicated to the electricity obtained by the by-pass.

Outcome: pending