Government bid to deport Italian man accused of money laundering postponed
DeMaria, 71, a former Mississauga financial services manager and baker, has been accused by Canadian authorities of laundering money for international organized criminals.
DeMaria never got the chance to testify on Friday, after a dispute broke out over the use of secret recordings made by Italian police between himself and Italian visitor
Vincenzo Muià in 2019, while DeMaria was in custody at Collins Bay Institution in Kingston.
The secret recordings were made as Italian police investigated the slaying of a leader of the 'Ndrangheta, or Calabrian Mafia, in Italy.
Italian police came to Canada in 2019 as they probed the murder of Muià's brother, Carmelo (Mino) Muià, in Italy.
Things heated up at the online hearing on Friday when Andrej Rustja, a lawyer for the minister of public safety, said that the government will not longer be relying on those intercepted conversations in DeMaria's deportation appeal.
For years, DeMaria's lawyers have called the surveillance an example of 'foreign interference' which breaches Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms and amounts to abuse of process.
They should not be admissible in a Canadian legal proceeding, DeMaria's lawyers argued.
On Friday, they argued that the surprise announcement that the government would no longer be relying on the intercepted conversations disrupted their defence plans and amounted to abuse of process.
The hearing has been postponed to Oct. 20.
DeMaria moved to Canada with his family from Siderno, Italy in 1955 but never applied for citizenship.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has been seeking his deportation for years, alleging he is tightly connected to the 'Ndrangheta, or Calabrian Mafia, which authorities say has global scope.
DeMaria served eight years in prison in Canada after he was convicted of second-degree murder for a 1981 shooting, which police said was over a $2,000 drug debt, police say.
DeMaria's parole conditions bar his association with organized crime figures.
He was detained in Collins Bay penitentiary after he was ordered deported in April 2018.
He was released in 2020 over health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
35 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Anand counting on Israel to allow Ottawa's trucks of humanitarian aid into Gaza
OTTAWA - Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Ottawa has trucks of aid ready to reach desperate Palestinians in Gaza, and is counting on Israel to allow them through. Anand says Jordan, which borders Israel and the West Bank, has allowed Canada to pre-position aid, until Israel allows it to enter the Gaza Strip. She says she spoke with her Israeli counterpart Friday 'to seek assurances that trucks carrying Canadian aid would be allowed to enter Gaza.' Since then, Israel has said it would allow for some humanitarian corridors to be established, so that United Nations groups can deliver aid, as well as possible airdrops. The decision came after months of experts warning that Israel's tight restrictions on aid risk creating a famine, and after hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while trying to seek food at sites established by Israel. Israel has downplayed reports by numerous humanitarian groups operating on the ground of starvation deaths, and claims the UN has failed to distribute aid, though UN agencies say Israel still isn't allowing in enough food and fuel. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 27, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Feds raid California home of ‘TikTok Cult' pastor in sex trafficking, fraud investigation
LOS ANGELES - A home linked to a pastor featured in the Netflix docuseries 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult' was raided Friday by federal agents in relation to an investigation into sex trafficking, money laundering and other accusations, according to authorities. Property records show the home in the 7700 block of McGroarty Street in Tujunga is linked to multiple owners, including Robert Shinn, pastor of the Shekinah Church and the subject of a 2024 docuseries. He operates a talent agency that purportedly helps social media stars and TikTok dancers find jobs in Los Angeles. Those featured in the docuseries call Shinn an abusive cult leader. They say he kept them away from their families by telling them that in order to be saved, they had to 'die' to their loved ones who did not follow his teachings. He reportedly told them that if they were 'godly' enough, they would also save their families from damnation. On Friday, agents with the U.S. Postal Service, Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor served a warrant at the home around 6 a.m., according to the El Monte Police Department, which provided assistance along with the FBI. The search was related to allegations of sex trafficking, money laundering, tax evasion and COVID-19 pandemic-era-related fraud. SWAT officers were at the scene to assist, according to the El Monte Police Department. Postal Inspector Patricia Mendoza said in a prepared statement that officials will provide more details as the investigation progresses. 'U.S. Postal Inspection Service is working closely with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners on this ongoing investigation. This remains an active case, and we are continuing to gather and review information,' Mendoza said. Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation say the federal warrant is connected with the alleged cult featured in the Netflix docuseries, but details from the investigation remain under seal in federal court. News footage from KTLA showed several handcuffed people outside the residence, but sources familiar with the investigation say there have not yet been any arrests. On Friday afternoon, the Tujunga home bustled with onlookers, curious neighbors and news vehicles. The gated entrance to the home was visibly twisted and warped, having been rammed by federal agents early that morning, according to neighbors. 'I was getting ready for work when I heard the flash-bangs go off,' said one neighbor, Jake Hartmann. 'Then a loud speaker ... 'You need to come out, hands up.' All the neighbors came out to find FBI, Sheriff's Department and police taking up the whole area.' An open gate is apparently unusual for the home. Several neighbors said that in the few years that the alleged cult lived on the property, it was constantly blocked off. The owner reportedly built higher walls and grew trees to further block views of the home. 'When they moved in, it was weird,' said neighbor Marge Wagner. 'They were very secretive, then they sent out a flyer of what they wanted to do. They said they wanted to do all these things for our community. Like letting scout troops meet at the house, doing prayer meetings at night, letting people swim in the pool. It was so bizarre.' The property is large, wrapping around a street corner and lined with a thick wall of trees. Wagner recalls the owner taking back initial offers for a community space and giving mixed messages on the purpose of the property, a move that confused several in the community. 'The owner instead said in local meetings that they would hold a men's prayer night there every Tuesday,' Wagner said. 'For him to say that it was a church and only have one event a week for men … I thought, this isn't right. Nothing seemed right.' Anthony Jackson, who lived next door for years, interacted with the residents of the property many times. Jackson described the neighborhood as quiet, with mostly older residents, and says he never saw any red flags. '[Shinn's] wife is very nice. I've never seen anything out of the ordinary, heard anything out of the ordinary,' Jackson said. 'So when I saw the charges on the news, I couldn't even believe it. I mean, I still don't believe it.' Others, like Wagner, said they found the standoffish behavior of residents at the property suspicious. 'My daughter said, 'Mom, have you heard about that ... documentary? Mom, you've gotta come over and watch this,' ' Wagner said. 'I didn't feel surprised. They ostracized themselves from people around.' A man who refused to be named exited the property as a Times reporter approached. 'This is all just a misunderstanding,' he said, shaking his head at the damaged gate. 'A misunderstanding that resulted in destroyed property.' In response to a request for an interview, the man replied, 'I don't wanna get caught up in all of this. I just live here. They'll see soon that it was all just a misunderstanding.' It was not immediately clear if Shinn had any legal representation. The docuseries follows former Shekinah Church members who worked with the 7M Films talent agency, which was founded by Shinn in 2021. The series reveals that the dancers who were represented by the talent agency started as social media collaborators who frequently posted dance videos together on TikTok, but that group found themselves attending Bible study with Shinn. Those dancers invited friends to join what eventually became the core group of the alleged cult. Shinn reportedly called himself 'the Man of God' and said his teachings would grant his followers salvation. Times staff writers Brittny Mejia and Kimberly Aguirre contributed to this report. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Business Insider
3 hours ago
- Business Insider
Ghana secures first Paris Club debt deal from France
France has signed a bilateral agreement with Ghana to provide debt relief under the country's ongoing external debt restructuring programme, marking a major milestone in Ghana's efforts to recover from unsustainable debt levels following the COVID-19 pandemic. France signed a debt relief agreement with Ghana as part of an external debt restructuring program. This makes France the first Paris Club member to formally support Ghana's financial recovery. Ghana noted economic progress, including inflation reduction, reflecting positive indicators of recovery. The agreement, signed on Friday, July 25, makes France the first Paris Club member to formally commit to debt relief for Ghana. The development follows Parliament's approval of the indicative terms presented by the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), according to Citi Newsroom. Ghana's Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who signed on behalf of the government, described the agreement as ' the most significant milestone' and urged other Paris Club members to follow France's lead. 'We expect to complete the process as soon as possible so that Ghana can breathe again, ' he said. ' Today is a milestone, a milestone in the sense that it has taken us some time to get here. But it is the most significant one. The most significant one, which will pave the way for others to also emulate the steps taken by France in signing this bilateral agreement,' he added. Officials express optimism over broader support from global creditors The signing ceremony was attended by French Ambassador to Ghana Jules Armand Aniambossou, Paris Club Secretary-General and OCC Co-Chair William Roos, and officials from both governments. Speaking at the event and during his presentation of the 2025 Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament, Dr. Forson noted that inflation had dropped from 54% to 13.7%, adding, 'We have gone through turbulent signs but we can see that hope is in sight.' He also expressed optimism that Ghana's recent economic progress would be recognized by other members of the Paris Club framework, expediting the country's external debt restructuring process. Ambassador Aniambossou said France's decision reflected the strong ties between the two countries. ' When your friend or family member is facing difficulties, you have to show that you are there for them and take some key actions, ' he said. Paris Club Secretary-General William Roos called for stronger collaboration among creditors. ' We have to progressively build a strong trust between France, China, the G20 and Paris Club members,' he said.
