Chinese anti-scam blogger killed by criminals hired online to silence his work
A Chinese investigative blogger who exposed telecoms fraud and other illegal activity was killed by criminals hired on social media, according to media reports, prompting calls for heavier punishment for the perpetrators.
Liu was extradited from Cambodia to China in June this year. A police statement at the time said he had been ordered by Chen in 2016 to found a group called Jinbei, which operated telecoms fraud compounds in Cambodia and carried out fraud involving “extremely large amounts” of money starting in 2020.
===============================================================================================
Toronto cop at centre of Project South corruption investigation denied bail for a 3rd time
Const. Timothy Barnhardt has been in custody since his arrest in early February
A Toronto police officer described as the “genesis” of the Project South corruption investigation was denied bail for a third time Friday afternoon in Toronto.
Justice Philip Campbell made his ruling in Ontario Superior Court following a mandatory detention review hearing held earlier this week.
Const. Timothy Barnhardt, 56, has been in custody since his arrest in early February.
The judge's reasons for his decision and details from the hearing are protected under a routine publication ban aimed at ensuring Barnhardt's right to a fair trial.
Barnhardt, 56, will remain in custody while facing 10 charges — the most of any of the seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer arrested in the police corruption and organized crime investigation led by York Regional Police. Two of the officers charged have since pleaded guilty and been sentenced.
The allegations against Barnhardt include trafficking police uniforms and drugs, supporting illegal cannabis dispensaries by accepting bribes in exchange for protecting against police investigation, and releasing confidential information to criminals, which police say helped facilitate targeted shootings.
None of the charges against Barnhardt and the others accused in Project South have been tested in court.
In addition to the police officers, 20 civilians were charged in connection with the sweeping probe that began in June 2025 after York police officers uncovered an alleged conspiracy to kill a senior corrections officer at Toronto South Detention Centre. The charge against one civilian has since been stayed. Another pleaded guilty and was sentenced earlier this week.
Brian Da Costa, a civilian and alleged drug trafficker charged in Project South, also remains in custody. (Pam Davies/CBC)
Investigators allege Barnhardt accessed private information about the senior corrections officer and provided it to a civilian, Brian Da Costa, who was then accused of releasing it to others charged in the murder plot.
From there, police-intercepted communications revealed to investigators that Barnhardt "routinely sold confidential database information to known criminal associate Da Costa, often at Da Costa's direction," according to an information to obtain (ITO) application filed in the case.
Barnhardt was previously denied bail in April, following a Superior Court review of the original decision to deny him bail soon after his arrest.
No comments:
Post a Comment