Following a covert investigation by CBC’s Marketplace in a group of domestic moving companies accused of misleading prices, Toronto police have arrested two key figures and charged them with a large number of criminal offenses.
The charges come after a raid on Friday, when the two bosses arrived at an address in Scarborough where the removal companies are located. After a few moments, a large police presence descended on the premises, confiscating the company’s property and recovering the belongings of the customers, including the family inheritances and the ashes of at least one deceased person in the possession of the removals. .
A police press release alleges that customers had “a low-cost contract to move their belongings,” but once the items were loaded onto a truck, “the men would contact customers to request more money “.
Customers who wanted to hand over their belongings “would be forced to pay inflated prices,” often in the thousands of dollars.
Friends and business partners Cemal Ozturk and Dogan Celik, both 30, have been loaded with four charges each of fraud, ailment, possession of property obtained for crime and false pretext, as well as conspiracy to commit charged crimes.
Ozturk and Celik were detained for at least 72 hours, until a bail hearing was held on Monday. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
MIRAR | A hidden camera movement from Marketplace reveals the company’s late change in prices:
Hidden cameras capture movements by propelling inflated weight estimates
Roadway Moving first quoted $ 895 to Marketplace producer to move £ 1,000. After filling out an inventory spreadsheet, that number jumped to $ 1,495 before taxes to move £ 3,000. But on the day of the move, the estimated weight increased again.
In an emailed statement at the time of the market research, Celik said its companies value customers and treat them with respect, and that their companies “will do a thorough review of all our operations and procedures to ensure – I know that companies follow these steps “. important values of the company “.
Despite several attempts by phone, registered mail, email and social media, Ozturk could not be reached for comment at the time of the Marketplace investigation. CBC has been unable to identify Ozturk and Celik’s lawyer.
Customers forced to pay inflated prices
The findings of the police investigation run parallel to what Marketplace producers heard from customers, including during a hidden camera segment with one of the companies connected to the two men.
A Marketplace producer posing as a customer was told that her move would cost much more than it was originally quoted. This was only revealed to the covert producer once the removals had left with their belongings.
Cemal Ozturk, 30, and his business partner Dogan Celik, also 30, have been charged with four counts of fraud, ailment, possession of property obtained for a felony, false pretense and conspiracy to commit a felony. (Toronto Police Service)
Police say Ozturk and Celik operated a number of moving companies that offered services across Canada, often renaming themselves as bad reviews piled up. His businesses included O’Canada Movers, Roadway Moving and Storage Inc., SafeBound Moving and Storage Inc., Canadian Principal Movers, All You Can Move, Right on Track Moving, New Vision Moving, Greenway Moving and 12282569 Canada Inc.
It is assumed that customers who were unable to pay the inflated prices had their belongings stored in an undisclosed warehouse, incurring storage costs.
“It’s definitely the scam of the season,” Nancy Irvine, president of the Canadian Movers Association (CAM), said in the spring. His organization receives complaints from citizens about moving companies and different types of alleged scams.
Irvine said CAM has received many complaints related to the family of companies in the Marketplace investigation.
These companies are not affiliated with their association, which has a rigorous certification process. In fact, CAM issued a warning about its companies consumer alert page in June 2021.
The association is working with police to return or store belongings that the businesses had after the police raid.
Other removal companies offer trucks to rescue belongings
During the raid on Friday, police confiscated computers and other equipment, while some officers went to a nearby warehouse where customers’ belongings were stored.
Rocco Scocco, the lawyer for several clients of the affected removal companies, said the beating is “the first step.” He also said other law enforcement agencies should intensify investigations into moving companies that attract customers on budget prices and then switch to much higher costs once they have the belongings.
Over the weekend, families and moving trucks arrived at the warehouse to pick up their boxes and furniture. Some of the trucks and crews were donated free of charge by other moving companies. In many cases, customers had not seen their belongings for months, not since a moving truck had come to pick them up.
Police also removed a Volvo SUV and a luxury Range Rover connected to the business.
Former customers are expected to initiate multiple civil lawsuits against Ozturk and Celik.
Toronto police believe there are other customers who have been victims and urges them to contact police while the investigation continues.