Latest news with #Elahi
Hamilton Spectator
19-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
2 Hamilton banquet halls placed in receivership, clients scramble to find alternatives
Two popular Hamilton banquet halls have been placed in receivership as a bank looks to recoup millions of dollars in unpaid loans, potentially leaving scores of charity events and weddings in limbo. Michelangelo Banquet Centre and The Grand Olympia were shuttered indefinitely late last week after Ontario's Superior Court of Justice denied a request from its owners for an extension to repay debt. No events were held at either location over the long weekend with the doors at each locked. 'These premises and all of the property herein are now in the possession of the receiver,' read a letter taped to the front door of Grand Olympia at 660 Barton St. in Stoney Creek. 'Entry or removal by unauthorized persons is prohibited.' According to court records , the halls and their related companies are owned by a Mississauga-based family which owes more than $14 million to the Bank of Montreal, including around $8.2 million tied to Michelangelo and $6 million for Grand Olympia. Aftab Elahi — which corporate documents list as the sole officer and director of Mario's Catering Service and Grand Olympia Realco, the parent companies of the banquet halls — didn't respond to request for comment. Michelangelo Banquet Centre and The Grand Olympia were shuttered indefinitely late last week after Ontario's Superior Court of Justice denied a request from its owners for an extension to repay debt. While the halls were placed in receivership on Jan. 29, the appointment order was delayed to allow the owners to make a real estate transaction that would've been 'an amount sufficient to repay the bank in full,' court records state. The proposed transaction was scheduled to close by April 30. On May 15, a person representing the Elahi family asked the court for another 45 days to finish the sale. The Bank of Montreal argued against that extension 'based on a number of concerns.' 'The bank is concerned that there is no current timeline for repayment in full that is supported by evidence of an ability to complete, and the bank has significant concerns regarding the financial circumstances and management of the respondent companies,' the bank said in court records. In an endorsement decision, Justice Jessica Kimmell declined to vary the appointment order and wrote she wasn't satisfied there was 'a supported justification for granting further accommodation.' Locks were placed on the gates of Michelangelo Banquet Hall last week as its parent company was put in receivership. MSI Spergel has been appointed receiver over both banquet halls. What that means for people who had booked future events at Michelangelo and Grand Olympia — and paid deposits — remains unclear. Spergel couldn't be reached for comment Sunday or Monday. 'It came as a surprise to us,' said an event organizer with CollectiCon, a local toy and collectible show that's held monthly events at Michelangelo on Upper Ottawa Street for decades. After hearing the news — and seeing the gate to the venue locked — event organizers had to scramble to find a new location for their Victoria Day show, eventually landing space at Carmen's Event Centre. 'Carmen's really came through for us,' the organizer said. CollectiCon wasn't the only one. Weddings, retirement dinners, community fundraisers and school events like grads and proms were among the affected Michelangelo and Grand Olympia clients who reached out to Carmen's this weekend in a desperate effort to book space. 'Our sales and operations teams have been working diligently and mobilized in real time to accommodate the event customers, which included a handful this weekend and another half-dozen or so in the coming week,' Carmen's Group CEO PJ Mercanti said in a statement. 'Our operations teams have been especially attentive with purchasing food, ordering linens and scheduling staff on short notice.' Mercanti extended his sympathy to hospitality staff and suppliers affected by the abrupt banquet hall closures. 'Especially our many colleagues at Michelangelo, who we have enjoyed a positive working relationship with for many decades.' Michelangelo was incorporated in 1977 and Grand Olympia in 2021, according to receivership records. The records don't specify when Elahi family became involved with the businesses. Court documents state the Bank of Montreal extended Grand Olympia a $7.8 million loan in December 2019 and $8.2 million to Michelangelo in December 2022. Both fixed-rate loans had terms of five years. In its application to place the halls in receivership on Nov. 28, the Bank of Montreal said it had been supervising accounts tied to the borrowers 'for a considerable period of time' due to concerns 'about the financial health of the underlying businesses and the performance of the (borrowers') credit facilities.' 'As a result of such concerns, together with various defaults on the part of the borrowers … the bank determined it no longer wished to continue the banking relationship with (them),' the bank said in its application.
Express Tribune
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistani duo set unique Guinness World Record at Boston Marathon
Faisal Shafi and Danish Elahi, two runners from Karachi, have set a world record at the Boston Marathon. They completed the 26.2-mile race in 3 hours and 26 minutes, becoming the first people to do so while wearing traditional shalwar kameez. Their accomplishment marks the first time that any runner has ever finished a major marathon in under four hours dressed in Pakistan's national attire. The duo started and finished the race together, and dedicated their achievement to their country. "This record is dedicated to all of Pakistan," Elahi said after the race. "Setting a record in a historic race like Boston is truly memorable." Shafi echoed his sentiments, saying, 'We did this to highlight Pakistan's positive image.' Although no official category exists for running in traditional clothing, the duo's feat has been recognised by the Guinness World Record as a world record. Their performance blended cultural pride with athletic endurance, drawing admiration from fellow competitors. The Boston Marathon, first held in 1897, is one of the most prestigious long-distance events globally. Upon their return to Pakistan, Shafi and Elahi plan to hold celebrations to share their milestone with supporters.
Memri
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Chair Of The House Democratic Policy And Communications Committee (DPCC) Maintains Ties With Dearborn, Michigan's Extremist, Antisemitic Top Shi'ite Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi – Strongly Linked To Iranian Regime, As Well As Governor Whitmer And Other Top Michigan Democrats – Who Centered Recent Sermon On Quranic Verses Regarding The Treachery Of The Jews, Adding: These Are The Bloodthirsty Zionists That Humanity Is Dealing With Now, Who Love Spreading War And Corruption – Clips Of Elahi From The MEMRI TV Archives
Introduction On March 7, 2025, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, who represents Michigan's 6th Congressional District and serves as Chair of The House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) [1] met with Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, a prominent Iran-born Shi'ite cleric who heads the Shi'ite Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan and is considered a central figure in the U.S. Shi'ite community. He is also known to maintain close relations with the Iranian regime. Rep. Dingell met with Imam Elahi on March 8, 2025, alongside fellow Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, at his Islamic center, The Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW). Elahi posted about the meeting on his Facebook page, sharing photos of the two Representatives. This visit comes only six months after Elahi devoted a Friday sermon to discussing Quranic verses about the alleged treachery of the Jews, directly linking them to contemporary Zionists, whom he described as "people who are enemies of peace[;] They love fighting. They love war. They love blood. They try to escalate the war, to make more mess and more misery in this world because they enjoy crime and corruption." Imam Elahi delivers a livestreamed sermon from Dearborn, Michigan, on September 20, 2024 (See MEMRI clip 11440 ). Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi's March 8, 2025 Facebook post about the visit from Reps. Debbie Dingell and Rashida Tlaib. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Rep. Debbie Dingell meeting with Imam Elahi at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, March 7, 2025. Elahi's Support For The Iran-Backed, U.S.-Designated Terror Organization Lebanese Hizbullah Elahi uses his public platform not only to espouse antisemitic tropes and incite hatred of Jews. He also expresses support and admiration of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Terror-Designated proxy, Lebanese Hizbullah. On February 23, 2025, Elahi posted about the funeral of slain Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, saying it was an "indescribable day" in Lebanon's history, and "A day of victory for morality, truth, justice, and humanity." [2] (For more about the open mourning for Nasrallah in the local media of Dearborn, Michigan, see MEMRI Special Dispatch 11885 – The Local Media Of Dearborn, Michigan Openly Mourns Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah And His Successor Hashem Safieddine In Its Extensive, Laudatory Coverage Of Their Funeral – Reflecting Dearborn's Longstanding Outspoken Support For The Designated Terror Group.) Elahi's post honoring slain Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. In a speech at a January 8, 2025 fundraiser for displaced families in Lebanon, Elahi said that it is a blessing to have "known" and been "attached with" assassinated Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah and all the "martyrs" in southern Lebanon. He said that Nasrallah and "the people who sacrificed in Lebanon and Yemen to support the cause of the oppressed in Gaza" were the "real winners of 2024." He said that "they deserve every support." Elahi added: "You did your job, beloved martyrs. We send our salam and our salutations to you" (see MEMRI TV clip no. 11757). In the same speech, Elahi prayed to Allah to "humiliate the corruptor, criminal, occupying Zionists". Elahi Meets Iranian President Pezeshkian At UN Assembly In New York, September 2024, Claims: Jews Are Safer In Iran Than In Israel On September 24, 2024, Elahi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who addressed the UN Assembly in New York City. [3] On his Instagram account, Elahi praised "President Pezeshkian's call for peace, justice, diversity, dialogue and an end to Israeli wars built on lies, deception, dishonesty and the pursuit of personal gain with no regard for international law, human rights, or human dignity... I told the President that if violence, genocide, and the butchering of babies in Gaza and Lebanon were the solution for Jewish safety, then Israel should be the safest entity in the world. But in reality, the 10,000 Jews living in Iran, with 80 synagogues, are far safer than those Jews living in Israel." [4] Iranian President Pezeshkian and Elahi, September 24, 2024. The Instagram post by Elahi about his meeting with Iranian President Pezeshkian, September 24, 2024. Elahi offered condolences to "the spiritual leader" of the Iranian regime upon the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a May 19, 2024 helicopter crash. [5] Message of condolence by Imam Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom. Source: Facebook These are only the most recent examples of Elahi's statements of support for the Islamic Republic of Iran. Over the decades, met many times with senior officials in the Iranian regime, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. He has ties to the founder of Iran's Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and as a young man was even appointed by Khomeini to a top post in the Iranian Navy. He has also met with former Iranian presidents Ali Akbar Hashemi and Hassan Rouhani. Elahi works to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. Shi'ite community and Iran, emphasizing the values and principles of Shi'ite Islam and promoting the values of Iran's Islamic Revolution in the U.S.. For more about Elahi's close relationship with top Iranian regime officials and with senior current and past officials in U.S. administrations, see MEMRI Report Leading U.S. Shi'ite Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi, Based In Dearborn, Michigan Area, And His Relationship With Both The Iranian Regime And Top Current And Former U.S. Officials. Elahi Endorsed By U.S. Politicians Dingell's is not the first U.S. politician to pay public respects to Elahi, despite his virulent antisemitism and extensive ties to the Islami Republic of Iran. His meetings with current and former U.S. officials, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and former Secretary of State John Kerry, are amply documented. Elahi has successfully positioned himself not only as a religious figure, but in local and national politics as well. He has been photographed many times with U.S. government officials. On January 1, 2023, Elahi delivered the prayer at the inauguration ceremony of Governor Gretchen Whitmer. [6] Elahi at Governor Gretchen Whitmer's Inauguration, January 1, 2023. On July 12, 2021, Elahi met with Vice President Kamala Harris at a Detroit event promoting COVID-19 vaccinations. A visit by VP Harris to his institution, the Islamic House of Wisdom, was planned but ultimately canceled due to local flooding. [7] Mohammad Ali Elahi pictured with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. (Source: Detroit Free Press, July 12, 2021) Elahi has been photographed with other top U.S. officials, including former Secretary of State John Kerry. He has also met with former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. [8] Mohammad Ali Elahi with former Secretary of State John Kerry. ((Source: X account of researcher Danial Tehrany, January 22, 2022) Mohammad Ali Elahi with former President Bill Clinton (Source: X account of researcher Danial Tehrany, January 22, 2022) On December 5, 2018, Elahi was invited to open a session of the Michigan House of Representatives with a prayer, as part of an initiative by House Speaker Rep. Tom Leonard and hosted by Rep. Sylvia Santana. In his prayer, Elahi quoted Quran verses, highlighting key principles of Islam. Mohammad Ali Elahi leading prayer in the Michigan House of Representatives. (Source: Islamic House of Wisdom website, December 5, 2018) [9] Clips Of Mohammad Ali Elahi – From The MEMRI Archives January 2025 – Dearborn Heights Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi: Slain Hizbullah Secretary-General Nasrallah And The Martyrs In Lebanon And Yemen Are The 'Real' Winners' Of 2024 Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights said in a speech at a January 8, 2025 fundraiser for displaced families in Lebanon that it is a blessing to have "known" and been "attached with" assassinated Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah and all the "martyrs" in southern Lebanon. He said that Nasrallah and "the people who sacrificed in Lebanon and Yemen to support the cause of the oppressed in Gaza" were the "real winners of 2024." He said that "they deserve every support." Elahi, who immigrated to the United States from Iran in the early 1990s, said that he is willing to sell an apartment that he owns 'back home' in order to "make a little house for somebody in southern Lebanon. Elahi added: "You did your job, beloved martyrs. We send our salam and our salutations to you." To view the clip click here or below: September 2024 – Dearborn, Michigan Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi Cites Quranic Verses Describing The Treachery Of The Jews, Adds: These Are The Zionists Humanity Is Dealing With Now – They Killed Their Own Prophets, Were Cursed By King David And Jesus For Disobeying And Transgressing; America Is Run By AIPAC, Funding Israel's Terrorism With Taxpayer Money, While Biden Appears To Be Sleeping In a September 20, 2024 Friday sermon at the Islamic House of Wisdom which was livestreamed on Facebook, Michigan Shi'ite Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi said that the words "occupation," "apartheid," "genocide," and "war crimes" are not enough to describe the brutality and barbarism of Israel over the past year, and he said that the Zionists are the enemies of peace and love blood, misery, crime, and corruption. He said that it is "shameful" that the United States sponsors Israel's "terrorism" with taxpayer money, and he said that it appears that U.S. President Joe Biden is "sleeping" and the country is instead run by AIPAC. He criticized the recent pager attack in Lebanon, saying that it has broken international trust because now mobile devices, household appliances, cars, and airplanes may be subject to sabotage, and he cited several verses from the Quran that describe the treachery and mischief of the Jews. On September 24, Imam Elahi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the UN Plaza in Manhattan, and there are also photos of him alongside U.S. Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris. To view the clip click here or below: March 2024 – Dearborn, Michigan Interfaith Prayer Vigil In Honor Of U.S. Serviceman Aaron Bushnell Who Self-Immolated In Front Of Israeli Embassy: This 'Pure Martyr' Expressed His Opposition To The 'Hitlers Of The 21st Century' On March 3, 2024, an interfaith prayer vigil was held in honor of Aaron Bushnell, a U.S. serviceman who self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington D.C., near the Henry Ford library in Dearborn, Michigan. Imam Sheikh Ali Elahi of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, MI said that when Bushnell lit himself on fire, he "sent a mighty message to the entire world." He added that he performed an "amazing self-sacrifice" that expressed his opposition to the "Hitlers of the 21st century," the "Hitlers" of Hell and the Holocaust. Elahi said: "You are a pure martyr in this country." He continued to say that one day there will be statues of Bushnell in the streets and squares of a "free Palestine." Michigan Imam Mustapha Elturk, the "Ameer" of the Islamic Organization of North America (IONA) located in Warren, MI, said that the adversaries of the Palestinians are not just the foes, but the adversaries of all humanity. The event was streamed live on the Facebook page of Iraqis in Michigan – America. It was organized by the Intercultural Community Center in Dearborn (ICCD), the Dearborn Area Interfaith Network (DAIN) and the local chapter of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA). To view the clip click here or below: February 2024 – Dearborn Heights, Michigan Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi Mocks President Biden In Friday Sermon, Adds: Netanyahu Is Hitler Of The 21st Century, Committing A Holocaust Against The Palestinians In a February 9, 2024 Friday sermon at the Islamic House of Wisdom, which was streamed live on Facebook, Michigan Imam Mohammad Ali Elahi mocked Joe Biden for referring to Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi as president of Mexico instead of the president of Egypt. He said that Netanyahu was a "Hitler of the 21st century," and he added: "Hitler had the holocaust of the Jews, and this Hitler has the holocaust of the Palestinians." He celebrated the anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution. In July 2023, Imam Elahi came under scrutiny by several Republican lawmakers for his ties with the Iranian regime. To view the clip click here or below: December 2023 - Michigan Imam Sheikh Ali Elahi On College Antisemitism Congressional Probe: AIPAC Is The Cancer Destroying American Democracy – Anyone Who Wants To Run For Congress Must Pay Money To AIPAC Michigan imam Sheikh Ali Elahi condemned AIPAC in a Friday December 15, 2023 sermon at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights and posted on the mosque's YouTube channel. He described AIPAC as a cancer that is destroying democracy in America. Elahi claimed that in order to be voted into Congress, one must pay money to AIPAC. He further condemned Republican representative for New York Elise Stefanik for conducting a Congressional investigation of antisemitism on elite college campuses. He claimed that three "honorable" university professors, referring to Harvard President Claudine Gay, Pennsylvania State President Liz Magill, and MIT President Sally Kornbluth, suffered "harassment" during the five-hour investigation. Elahi suggested that Congresswoman Stefanik does not care about Israel or Jews, but such people are being opportunistic, seeking personal power. Sheikh Ali Elahi has come under scrutiny in the past due to reported ties with Iran and the IRGC. To view the clip click here or below: August 2023 – Michigan Imam Sheikh Mohammad Ali Elahi Condemns Letter By Members Of Congress Warning Of His Iranian Ties, Adds: Why Does No One Condemn The Death Sentence Given To Tree Of Life Synagogue Shooter? Michigan imam Sheikh Mohammad Ali Elahi said in a Friday, August 4, 2023 sermon at the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan that it is unusual that even opponents of the death penalty, such as U.S. President Joe Biden, have remained silent about the death sentence recently given to Tree of Life Synagogue shooter Robert Bowers. Elahi also addressed a letter written by nine members of Congress to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warning against the Iranian regime's influence through Islamic centers and leaders in the United States. He said that these members of Congress are expressing their "Sheikh Elahi-phobia" by singling him out for his position as an Islamic teacher in the Iranian Navy during the 1980s, meetings with Iranian presidents, and the Hizbullah-linked Sheikh Muhammad Fadlallah. Elahi added that he might be given the "maximum" penalty and be killed if Donald Trump becomes president again, and said that he is willing to accept this sentence. The letter by Members of Congress referenced by Elahi highlighted four Shi'ite Islamic centers with connections to the Iranian regime: the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan; the Islamic Education Center of Houston, Texas (see MEMRI TV Clips Nos. 6475, 7081, 8132, and 9719); the Manassas Mosque in Virginia (see MEMRI TV Clip No. 6487), and the Islamic Education Center in Potomac, Maryland. To view the clip click here or below: [1] accessed March 24, 2025. [2] February 23, 2025. [3] September 24, 2024. [4] September 24, 2024. [6] January 2, 2023. [7] October 9, 2024. [8] Didban (Iran), December 22, 2020. [9] December 5, 2018.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Community foundation awards inaugural racial justice grants
New London — The Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut announced it has awarded the first three grants from its recently endowed Fund for Racial Justice. The Neighbor Fund in Willimantic will receive a grant of $100,000 to provide immigrants in the Windham area with legal assistance and other types of support, while $10,000 grants were awarded to New Haven-based Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services and the Immigration and Advocacy Support Center in New London. All three of the organizations assist immigrants and their families in eastern Connecticut. 'These inaugural grants reflect our commitment to creating a more welcoming community, where every individual — regardless of their background — can thrive,' Maryam Elahi, the community foundation's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. 'We believe that empowering organizations on the frontlines of this work is critical to advancing justice and building a future where all are treated with dignity and respect.' 'Those supported by these organizations have demonstrated that they are enriching our community by contributing in many ways to our society, Elahi said. She said the awards to organizations that help immigrants are not directly tied to the Trump administration's recent orders regarding deportations or crippling cuts in federal funding. On Wednesday, for example, some 50 people attended a candlelight vigil at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme to support Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, which has lost $4 million in funding, forcing it to lay off staff. Elahi said the community foundation launched the Fund for Racial Justice and a Brighter Futures Fund for children two years ago in a bid to address the needs of groups that were found to be the worst off in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The foundation planned to begin distributing grants from the funds when they reached the $1 million threshold. Both funds reached the threshold in January, Elahi said. The foundation expects to make the first distributions from the Brighter Futures Fund by the end of the first quarter, she said. 'The Fund for Racial Justice is an endowed fund, which means it will make grants in perpetuity, and is committed to addressing systemic inequities and promoting racial justice in our communities,' the community foundation said. 'Through its Fund for Racial Justice, the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut is committed to advancing racial equity, supporting organizing and advocacy efforts, and providing resources to organizations and movements led by people of color in our region.' Donations to the fund came from 'strategic minded donors who want to protect vulnerable individuals in our community,' the foundation said. To learn more about the Fund for Racial Justice or how to set up a named fund to benefit eastern Connecticut, contact the community foundation's development team at development@ or call (860) 442-3572.
