The Vancouver Sun is reporing that "The Law Society of B.C. has accused one of the province’s most senior and respected lawyers, Michael Bolton, of permitting his trust account to be used in a manner that he ought to have known would assist in or encourage dishonesty, crime or fraud."
"Bolton denies the charges but now faces a disciplinary panel hearing." He is represented by Peter Leask. Things that make ya go hmmm. Peter Leask was the most incompetent judge in Canadian history. Choosing him to represent you is a bad precident.
Michael Bolton on the other hand "is considered one of the most experienced and one of the top criminal lawyers in Canada." Peter Leask was also a criminal defense lawyer before he became a controversial court judge. Just because someone is a criminal defense lawyer doesn't make them dirty. Everyone has the right to legal counsel. Even Clifford Olson.
However, crime does exist and so does money laundering. In fact, Money laundering through Vancouver lawyers is a huge problem. That's exactly what Michael Bolton is accused of doing and he isn't even facing a criminal trial just a disciplinary hearing. That kind of says it all.
"The society alleged that between October 2011 and November 2018, on behalf of one or more clients and related parties — identified only by the letters K, F, V, E, and Z — Bolton engaged in activities that assisted in or encouraged dishonesty, crime or fraud by allegedly permitting his trust account to receive and disburse $4,866,976.72 Cdn and $6,508,949.78 US when he ought to have known various particulars. The Law Society says those particulars were that some of his clients were being investigated in the United States, and some or all of the funds were the proceeds of certain business operations by some of the clients that U.S. authorities had determined amounted to money laundering under U.S. law."
"The citation also claims he knew or should have known freezing orders were in the offing and Z, K, F, and V had entered guilty pleas in the U.S. to money laundering and conspiracy to distribute wholesale quantities of misbranded prescription drugs for the foreign market."
That is significant. That's a criminal case not a disciplinary hearing. I'd sure like to know who Z, K, F, and V are.
However, "misbranded prescription drugs for the foreign market" doesn't sound like they were accused of slinging oxies. Yet that's an awful lot of money for generic drugs.
Update: In Eastern Canada, the Hells Angels are knows for contraband cigarettes. No one cares about contraband cigarettes. Cigarettes are not illegal nor should they be. Contraband cigarettes aren't destroying society like crack, crystal meth or fentanyl is. Skimming the profits off of HIV, diabetes, dementia, and high blood pressure meds is a crime but it doesn't harm society. Why aren't we going after the people that are harming society? We need to get our priorities straight.
Mihran Stepanyan, Artur Stepanyan, Yan German, and Khachig Geuydjian.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr/four-defendants-plead-guilty-racketeering-conspiracy-nationwide-prescription-drug
That's SSGG not FKVZ. Those guys weren't selling oxies either. Sounds like a case against big pharma. Lots of money involved. No wonder they killed the Shermans.
DeleteFKV and Z are probably randomly assigned letter identifiers generated on our end. I don't think they use the initial of their last name. I thought it was funny how fast Google circumvented their pathetic attempt at security and not connecting these four to Bolton directly.
DeleteIt's the only recent case (2020) that Google pulls up on USDOJ's website where there are four defendants, and they all pleaded guilty to both of those two charges, money laundering and illegal distribution of prescription drugs. Seems to be a match.
Perhaps. Usually in BC they're very obvious and use the actual initials unless they refer to them as Person X or Person Y but that's usually for witnesses. If that is the case then it's kind of lame.
DeleteMichael’s Bolton was a pain in the arse for the correctional system. He was ALWAYS called by inmates who thought they were “wronged” and when he showed up to be cleared at the gate he was the most arrogant, disrespectful a**hole of a lawyer. He definitely gives lawyers a bad name. And I’m impressed the law Society is making an attempt to crack down on these lawyers who participate in money laundering and practicing willful blindness. Lets see more to make these lawyers accountable and responsible to holding up their end of the law!
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt the guy was an a*shole. There's no question that money laundering through BC lawyers is a big problem and needs to be addressed. I'm just saying there's a big difference between money laundering for crack, crystal meth and fentanyl than for generic drugs. We need to address the money laundering from harmful drugs and we're clearly not doing that.
DeleteI can start naming some lawyers to check. Worked for them for years. Let’s start! Speaking of Aholes. Bottom feeder criminals.
DeleteExactly.
DeleteWe need more websites like ones the United States have, that allow the People of Canada, to know the facts.
DeleteIt took me awhile before the light went on - chalk it up to age (65) this lawyer (ex-judge) for the "lawyer" - Peter Leask - was identified in a disgusting comment from the bench in regards to "hurrying up" a sexual assault charge being heard in Kamloops, he was assigned the case due to shortages in the "judges" department - allegedly. Anyhow, shortly after Leask was severely criticized for his egregious comment/conduct, the prosecutor withdrew the charges and gave some ridiculous excuse when in fact he was obviously bullied and pressured by this dispicable Leask character because Leask wanted to sleep in his own bed so could they hurry up! I do believe GO posted the article on this goof. Anyway, now that the bulb is lit, I can clearly see it is one trashy lawyer representing another. Too funny.
ReplyDeleteYeah Peter Leask and I have past history.
DeleteOh, do share, or send me link. Thanks.
DeleteIf you look at the pictures in the middle of Neil Hall's book Hell to Pay you will see one I made of Peter Leask. Neil Hall talked about my blog and mentioned it in his book:
Deletehttps://gangstersout.blogspot.com/2009/12/peter-leask-should-be-hanged-for.html
https://gangstersout.blogspot.com/2017/03/peter-leask-strikes-again.html
When Eileen Mohan launched her wrongful death suit she recognized the judge from somewhere but couldn't remember where. Then it suddenly dawned on her. She remembered seeing him on my blog with the bugs bunny ears. She thought oh no. I'm screwed.
Bolton was a good lawyer and had heard about him from friends. From there on in, if people I knew were arrested I suggested they hire him. He was good. Not one went to jail.
ReplyDeleteFound him to be pleasant and professional.
Didn't know Leask and Bolton were still working and alive. But good to know Bolton is still practising law. If I were in trouble, i'd sure hire him.
e.a.f.
Everyone has the right to legal counsel. Abusing due process to misrepresent someone as dirty as Larry Amero is very disappointing.
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