Ontario’s underworld seems dormant as Quebec shows rumblings for more Mob violence.
But not all is quiet in Ontario, as the province is a key place for organized crime to transform into legitimate, lucrative businesses.
A southern Ontario police source who’s kept tabs on organized crime figures says he’s watched men who have worked their way up, from being poor, violent gangsters involved in various criminal trades such as drugs, cargo thefts, extortions and loan sharking, and morphing into polite, well-polished high-end auto and clothes retailers and financiers.
It’s getting harder for law enforcement to follow the dirty money, adds Mafia expert Antonio Nicaso, as reams of dirty money are parked offshore and used as collateral in legitimate businesses.
“The next step, you can sponsor, you can give money to politicians, you can give to charity, you can do fundraising ... and you build a social presence,” he says. “Who can challenge someone with suspicious Mafia past affiliations when he is involved with charity, fundraising events.
“In Canada, we have a long list of people that started in a very strange way ... and then they become big shots in the economy and financial world,” Nicaso says.
“Who can challenge them?” he asks. (more...)
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