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Hamilton Spectator
17 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington lawyer charged in suspected Ponzi scheme facing suspension
A Burlington lawyer arrested in connection with a suspected multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme is under investigation by the Law Society of Ontario for allegedly misusing her trust fund. While its probe is underway, the law society is seeking to have Crystal Masterson's licence suspended due to 'a significant risk of harm to members of the public, or to the public interest in the administration of justice, if the order is not made.' The law society filed its notice of motion against Masterson on May 13, about six weeks after she was arrested by the Ontario Provincial Police and charged with fraud over $5,000. Her law society hearing is set for June 3. Masterson and two others — punk-rock-singer-turned-businessman Doug Grozelle and Halton regional police fraud detective Jon Williams — are accused of running a $24.6-million international investment scheme that left dozens of people broke or homeless. The OPP called it 'a complex, multi-jurisdictional investment fraud scheme.' The Spectator began its own investigation years ago into the 'complex' investment scheme that The alleged pyramid scheme, which operated for two years, sucked in at least 236 participants, 116 of whom lost money . Bankruptcy receiver Grant Thornton has said the scheme was 'insolvent from its inception' and used money from new investors to pay illegally high returns to a select group of clients, many of whom were Halton regional police officers . The top two 'net winners' are John and Krista McMullan , a married couple who are both sworn Halton officers. The pitch Grozelle made to investors was simple: if they gave him large amounts of cash for short periods, ranging from a few weeks to a few months, he promised to lend it to third parties, then pay it back fast with a high rate of return. Punk-rock-singer-turned-businessman Doug Grozelle is accused of being the mastermind of an investment scheme. He is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and faces extensive, ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Grozelle, who in the '90s was the frontman for a Burlington punk band called Trunk, is accused of being the scheme's mastermind. He is charged with two counts of fraud over $5,000 and faces extensive, ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Months before the arrests, a civil court ordered Grozelle to pay $40 million to three of his investors — Williams, Masterson and Masterson's husband, chartered accountant Michael Foley. He never paid. According to an affidavit filed with the court, Foley said he and Masterson began lending Grozelle money in April 2022, through Williams. Masterson had acted as Williams' real estate lawyer and they became friends. Some 166 investors lost money to Douglas Grozelle. Some of them lost everything. Foley said he first met Grozelle in July 2022 at a charity event. By mid-September, he was providing loans directly to Grozelle, cutting Williams out as the middleman. 'Having previously invested in real estate, Crys and I welcomed an opportunity to diversify our portfolio,' Foley said in his affidavit. 'After becoming aware of Williams' success with Grozelle and knowing Williams' background as a police officer in frauds, his general aversion to risk and his trust in Grozelle, Crys and I felt comfortable making the loans.' When payouts began drying up, Foley and Masterson took out a $1-million line of credit on their home to repay funds to friends and family who invested with Grozelle on their recommendation. Eventually, according to Foley's affidavit, they were 'forced to sell our matrimonial home.' Several investors sued Masterson and Foley in an attempt to recover their funds, according to statements of claim. One lawsuit, which has not yet been tested in court, says Masterson solicited $500,000 from the plaintiffs in exchange for five per cent interest, payable within 30 days. The money was paid to a trust account for Masterson Law, which is Masterson's firm. The officers who were the biggest winners in an investment scheme now under criminal 'She then put the plaintiffs' funds in a Ponzi scheme despite being warned prior that more loans were being taken out to pay out previous defaults by the head of the Ponzi scheme,' according to the statement of claim. 'In exchange for securing funds for the Ponzi scheme, Crystal Masterson was to receive a finder's fee of an amount unknown to the plaintiffs.' In documents filed by the law society, the grounds for the motion for suspension include allegations that Masterson engaged in criminal conduct, 'knowingly participated in, facilitated or otherwise failed to prevent dishonesty, fraud, crime or illegal conduct' and 'may have used trust account(s) for purposes not related to the provision of legal services.' Before her arrest, the Masterson Law website described it as a 'boutique firm' specializing in real estate law, wills and estates. Her bio on the website said: 'Although Crys's legal name is Crystal, she goes by Crys professionally, as she understands it's difficult for clients to trust a lawyer with a stripper name (thanks, mom and dad). Crys enjoys spending time with her spouse and three young children, attending any concert that comes to town, watching all variations of the Bachelor franchise, cheering for the Raptors (even when they're losing), making the world's best margaritas, and refusing to wear pants without an elastic waist (because self-care).' That bio information has since been removed. The Spectator reached out to Masterson for this story. A lawyer who is being retained for her law society proceedings said he could not speak until the case is properly before the tribunal. At the time of Masterson's arrest, her criminal lawyer, Daniel Brodsky, told The Spectator 'the allegation shocked my client, but we will be ready to fight hard to clear her name.' Burlington's Doug Grozelle is accused of masterminding a 'complex international ponzi scheme' Masterson's LinkedIn profile says she graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A. in rhetoric and professional writing, then received her law degree from the University of Oklahoma College in 2011. She launched her firm in 2013. A previous Spectator investigation spotlighted the misuse of lawyers' trust funds. In an examination of 199 decisions released by the Law Society of Ontario in 2022 related to disciplinary matters, nearly half — 89 — involved concerns with trust funds. Masterson is not the first area lawyer to face allegations of misusing their trust fund: 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. 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Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
MANDEL: Bathtub Girl killer, now 37, wants 'second chance'
Once dubbed the Bathtub Girl killer, she's spent more than eight years in her uphill quest to be licensed as an Ontario lawyer – and she's tired of waiting. Convicted as a youth of drowning her alcoholic mom when she was 15, 'A.B.' went before the Law Society Tribunal this week and asked to be immediately licensed due to 'inordinate delay' and abuse of process by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) as they seek a 'good character' hearing. 'The LSO should do the right thing and let me proceed directly to licensing. This would stop LSO's eight years (and counting) of wasting taxpayer and annual lawyer fee monies. This would ensure the YCJA (Youth Criminal Justice Act) is respected, so others with a youth record have a real second chance when they have put in the work to improve themselves – like I have,' wrote the law graduate, her identity protected under the YCJA. 'The YCJA (Youth Criminal Justice Act) exists to give youths a second chance without being punished for their mistakes made as children. I was 15 at the time of the offence and am now 37. Instead,' she wrote in her affidavit. 'the LSO is trying to legalize destroying the reputation of any youth before the youth can even begin their career as a lawyer. That is malicious and improper.' The infamous murder has been the subject of a book by the late great Bob Mitchell as well as a movie adaptation. On Jan. 18, 2003, after months of carefully planning their plot and giddily discussing it online with friends, the sisters – 16 and 15 at the time – plied their alcoholic mom with vodka and slipped her Tylenol 3s laced with codeine. As their 43-year-old mother lay sleepily in her bath, the older girl put on gloves and gently – to avoid telltale bruising – held her underwater for four minutes until she stopped twitching. MANDEL: Has Bathtub Girl killer been cleared to practise law? BATHTUB GIRLS: Younger of two sisters who killed mom in 2003 now an articling student for Toronto criminal lawyer Top court upholds conviction in bathtub murder conspiracy They almost got away with it. But flush with $133,000 in insurance money, the sisters couldn't stop blabbing about their crime. And a year after the drowning was ruled an accident, one of their friends went to Peel Regional Police. Both girls were sentenced to the maximum youth term of 10 years – six in secure custody. A.B. was paroled after four years due to her good behaviour and completed her sentence in 2014. To her credit, she completed an undergrad degree, went to law school, articled and passed her bar exams. But the single mom is still waiting to be called to the bar. In her 2016 application, she responded to a question that an Ontario judge would later rule was 'misleading and unlawful' – and disclosed her youth record for murder. That triggered an LSO 'good character' investigation, a request for her youth records in 2019 and her referral to a hearing in 2020 that's been delayed by legal wrangling over guaranteeing her anonymity. She went to court in 2023 to revoke her permission for the LSO to access her youth record after she complained their investigator used it to reveal her identity and conviction to witnesses as she probed them with 'gossipy' questions. In August 2024, Justice Bruce Duncan – the same judge who presided over her trial and sentencing – agreed and ruled the law society has no business even considering her past since her youth conviction is considered erased. 'AB is conclusively deemed never to have committed the offence,' Duncan said in his ruling at the time. While the Law Society is appealing, A.B. brought her motion Thursday to skip the good character hearing completely – a move strongly opposed by the Law Society. 'The need to assess character is significantly heightened when an applicant has been involved in first-degree murder – the most serious of crimes,' LSO lawyer Nadia Musclow told the tribunal. 'A significant amount of the delay in this matter is attributable to the applicant herself and the various steps she has taken to avoid the licensing hearing.' It's a charge A.B. denies, accusing the legal regulator of 'fighting her every step of the way' so she'll finally give up – something she vows not to do. 'Had I known that waiting for licensing would be like Waiting for Godot, I would have never applied to be a lawyer,' she wrote. 'That is a sad message for LSO to send to those with a youth record, who have valuable and unique experiences to contribute to the practice of law.' The tribunal has reserved its decision. mmandel@
Associated Press
25-02-2025
- Associated Press
Akram Law Offers Free Consultations for Calgary Residents Facing DUI and Impaired Driving Charges
Experienced Criminal Defence Lawyer Khalid Akram Provides Legal Support for Those Accused of Impaired Driving. Akram Law, a criminal defence firm in Calgary, Alberta, is pleased to announce that it is now offering free initial consultations for individuals facing DUI (Driving Under the Influence) and impaired driving charges. With serious legal consequences such as licence suspension, fines, and a potential criminal record, those accused of impaired driving need experienced legal representation to navigate Alberta's strict DUI laws. Led by Khalid Akram, J.D., an experienced criminal defence lawyer, Akram Law is committed to protecting the rights of individuals charged with impaired driving and ensuring they receive fair treatment under the law. Understanding the Consequences of an Impaired Driving Charge In Alberta, a DUI conviction can have life-altering effects. Possible penalties include: Immediate licence suspension Fines ranging from thousands of dollars Mandatory ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders Permanent criminal record affecting employment and travel opportunities Potential jail time for serious or repeat offences With strict enforcement of impaired driving laws, Calgary residents need to act quickly to secure experienced legal representation to explore their defence options. How Akram Law Helps Clients Fight DUI Charges Khalid Akram is known for his aggressive defence strategies in DUI cases. He employs a detailed, evidence-based approach to challenge the allegations against his clients. Defence strategies may include: Challenging Breathalyzer and Blood Alcohol Tests Reviewing breathalyzer maintenance records for errors Questioning whether tests were administered correctly Investigating whether the blood alcohol level (BAC) was accurately recorded Scrutinizing Police Conduct Assessing whether the traffic stop was lawful Determining if the accused's Charter rights were violated Reviewing police reports for inconsistencies or procedural errors Defending Against Drug-Impaired Driving Charges Analyzing whether Drug Recognition Evaluations (DREs) were conducted properly Assessing false impairment allegations due to medical conditions or prescription medications Negotiating with Crown Prosecutors Seeking withdrawals or reductions in charges Negotiating alternative resolutions to avoid a criminal record Representing clients in court if necessary Why Choose Akram Law for DUI Defence? Extensive Experience – Khalid Akram has defended hundreds of DUI cases and has a strong track record of success. Personalized Legal Strategies – Every case is unique, and Akram Law develops custom defence plans tailored to each client's circumstances. Proven Results – The firm has helped many clients avoid convictions, reduce penalties, and retain their driving privileges. Deep Legal Knowledge – As a member of both the Law Society of Alberta and the Law Society of Ontario, Khalid Akram is well-versed in Canadian DUI laws and defence strategies. Free Initial Consultation: Get the Legal Advice You Need To assist Calgary residents in making informed legal decisions, Akram Law is offering free consultations for those facing DUI or impaired driving charges. During this confidential consultation, clients will receive: A detailed case evaluation An explanation of potential defences Legal advice on next steps to protect their future Take Action Today: Protect Your Rights with Expert Legal Representation If you or someone you know is facing an impaired driving charge in Calgary, don't wait. Call (403) 774-9529 or visit Akram Law's website today to book a free consultation and start building your defence with an experienced criminal lawyer. Akram Law is a Calgary-based criminal defence law firm specializing in DUI defence, drug offences, assault, fraud, and other criminal charges. Founded by Khalid Akram, the firm is known for its dedicated legal advocacy, in-depth knowledge of criminal law, and strong defence strategies to protect clients' rights and freedoms. Media Contact Company Name: Akram Law Contact Person: Khalid Akram Email: Send Email Phone: 403-774-9529 Address:918A 5 Ave SW Suite 1 City: Calgary State: Alberta Country: Canada
