Hells Angel, shot dead outside Mandarin restaurant, had ties to Caribbean, GTA and Quebec
Investigators will have to look across the GTA, into Quebec and down to the Caribbean to catalogue the deadly enemies of a long-time Hells Angel who was shot dead in front of a Mandarin restaurant in Burlington, where he had just dined with his family.
Craig (Truck) McIlquham, 55, was shot to death around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday after eating at the family-style buffet restaurant at 1881 Fairview Street, about a five minute-drive from the Queen Elizabeth Way.
Police described the murder as targeted.
McIlquham, who was president of the Niagara chapter of the Hells Angels, spent much of his time recently in the Caribbean.
Police appealed to the public for anyone with dash cam footage of Fairview Street and Brant Street between the hours of 4 and 10 p.m. Tuesday.
They are particularly interested in a late model, dark Honda Civic with tinted windows.
McIlquham was also known as Craig Brown, Halton Regional Police said.
He got his nickname, 'Truck,' because of his massive size.
His hefty build helped him become a bodyguard for former Hells Angels boss Walter (Nurget) Stadnick of Hamilton, once widely considered the most influential outlaw biker in Canada.
Stadnick was convicted in Montreal in September 2004 of a variety of organized crime offences, including conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to traffic drugs and involvement in gang activities.
Stadnick was then sentenced to 20 years in prison, which was reduced for pre-trial time served to 14 years, seven months.
McIlquham was known to Canadian police for decades in connection with big-money crimes, including Project Hobart, an alleged multimillion-dollar international gambling ring in 2019.
He appeared to thrive financially in the 2000s, even as the Hells Angels lowered their profile across Canada.
Project Hobart investigators said that McIlquham was one of the leaders of an international gambling ring, with at least 14 sports-betting websites, including five illegal offshore sites based in the Caribbean.
The ring also operated an illegal gambling house in Mississauga, police said.
The gambling investigation was spurred by an escalation of violent crimes across Ontario, including attempted murders, arson, extortion and threats, police said.
Police said at the time the Hells Angels were working in the gambling ring with a York Region-based 'ndrangheta Mafia group.
Police said the gambling ring also had access to provincial Ministry of Transportation computer databases.
Gamblers were allowed credit limits as high as $20,000, but they were also expected to settle debts within a week, police said.
McIlquham was charged with a dozen offences, including possession of a restricted weapon, book-making and commission of an offence for a criminal organization.
The gambling operation pulled in $131 million in illegal revenues over five years, police said.
In making the Project Hobart arrests, the OPP announced they had seized more than $12 million in assets, including sports cars, two golf carts, seven residences, nine illegal handguns, jewelry valued at approximately $300,000, $330,000 in precious metals, $1.2 million in financial accounts and approximately $1.7 million in cash.
In total, police announced 228 related charges against 28 people from across the province and in Oka, Que.
The Project Hobart case was ultimately dropped because of court delays. The Crown said that the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the delays in the complex case, as well as 'voluminous' amounts of disclosure documents, prosecutors said, praising the Ontario Provincial Police for conducting a 'thorough and effective investigation.'
McIlquham's legal difficulties continued after the criminal charges were dropped, as Canada Revenue demanded he explain the source of his wealth.
McIlquham was charged with failing to report revenues totalling over $2,000,000 dollars for the tax years 2014 to 2018.
Investigators alleged he kept some of his cash in secret compartments and used trap doors in a Toronto home to squirrel away gold, silver and jewelry.
The Crown also alleged he hid $11,000, a gun and a cellphone in a trap in one of his vehicles.
The Crown further charged he also had a Brazilian visa with his photo but someone else's name.
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