.td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-list a:hover, Mr. Aquino was fired from Bondfield in 2018 by his younger brother Steven Aquino, who supplanted him as president. I need you at office immediately, Mr. Aquino wrote to Mr. Weinstock at 1:05 p.m. At 3:41 p.m., someone logged into Bondfields e-mail archiver and searched for all messages containing the term Vas Georgiou. Next, similar searches for keywords that might capture e-mails written by Mr. Georgiou were executed. As for how that information filtered down to Mr. Aquino, Mr. Georgiou told Zurichs lawyers he had no explanation. Click here to leave a comment! "; } .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, .td-weather-week:before, Mr. Aquino said that, when it came to Potentia, Vas didnt get a penny from me. Mr. Aquino declined to answer any questions about why he didnt disclose the two of them having ownership stakes before bidding on the St. Michaels project. Bondfield sued the Globe. Again, like I said, I dont even necessarily believe that it was true.. .widget_calendar tfoot a:hover, Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The monitor and . font-family:"Work Sans"; But the records were released in March after The Globe and Mail successfully fought a judges order that sealed them. a.vc_btn-black.vc_btn_square_outlined:hover, tdLocalCache = { htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-firefox'; Two of those buildings, on Gervais Drive in midtown Toronto, housed multiple commercial tenants. John Aquino has stepped down and been replaced by his brother Steve Aquino, formerly vice-president of operations. Mr. Aquino had also provided Mr. Georgiou with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. As for the project itself, St. Michaels has opened six floors of the new tower for patient care, as well as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a, But on Sept. 15, 2015, he was up against an ancient. EllisDons Middle East and North Africa (MENA) teams SeaWorld Abu Dhabi project has been awarded the Building Transformation Innovation Spotlight Ontario Construction News staff writer { We will be ok. Asked by Zurichs lawyers what he was doing with Mr. Georgiou so late at night, Mr. Aquino replied, Maybe having a cigar.. .tds-social3 .tdm-social-item { } If the insurance giant is successful, it raises questions about who will ultimately pay for the redevelopment, which is 3 years behind schedule and has left the hospital with an unfinished project in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. "; Other evidence uncovered by Zurich, the company alleges, shows that Mr. Aquino provided Mr. Georgiou with shares in businesses he owned. "; But Mr. Aquinos strategy was not limited to litigation. })(); Why on earth would Mr. Mendonca, you and Mr. Aquino, for any legitimate purpose, need to be discussing St. Mikes at all?. .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown ul:after, } Mr. Marafioti was not a party to that litigation and was not offered an opportunity to respond to Steven Aquinos testimony. })(); john-aquino-owner-bondfield-construction-company-ltd-and-co-founder-co-chair-of-the-icare-gala-with-wife-cinzia Johnson Ta 2015-07-08. .td_block_template_5 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, Mr. Aquino made good on his promise to hire a libel lawyer, though, turning to one of Canadas premier law firms, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Mr. Georgiou denies he tipped the scales in favour of Bondfield. The fraudster shareholder was John Aquino. After publishing its first piece, The Globe learned that, at the same time Mr. Georgiou had been evaluating bids for the St. Michaels project, he had also been working on the side for companies owned by Mr. Aquino. The Mareva was brought against John Aquino by Ernst & Young Inc., in its capacity as court-appointed monitor of Bondfield Construction Company Limited. But the e-mails uncovered by Zurich show he was not deterred. .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .td-menu-item > a:hover, A Roman Catholic religious order founded the hospital on Bond Street in the 1890s.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail. He also co-chaired, with John Aquino, an annual fundraising gala for Runnymede Health Centre, a small hospital in Torontos west end that was redeveloped by Bondfield in 2007. .td-page-title, But Zurich alleges other e-mails show Mr. Georgiou was indeed trying to obtain some kind of compensation for Mr. Mendonca. (1979) as Deputy Sheriff He was released with a next court date of Jan. 6, 2021, Pattenden wrote. .tds-progress-bar3 .tdm-progress-bar:after { Mr. Marafioti has not been charged with any criminal offences. background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7) 100%); Thanks again for cigar it was good to see you and you have charged my batteries.. .sf-menu ul .menu-item a { exist: function (resource_id) { this.header_color = ''; Omitted from Bondfields records were, of course, the 5,000 e-mails that had been destroyed, Mr. Aquinos e-mails to Mr. Weinstock and the e-mails in which Mr. Aquino outlined plans to attack Globe and get the story crushed.. var td_ad_background_click_link=""; As the deadline for the final bids crept closer, Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou continued to exchange messages on the secret BlackBerry and Mr. Georgious bondfield.com e-mail account. In its statement, Unity Health characterized Zurichs lawsuit as an attempt to get out of its obligations under the surety bonds, and noted that the healthcare network has countersued the insurer. In the end, both agencies agreed to hire a third-party engineering consultant to review Bondfields bid. background: -o-linear-gradient(top, rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7) 100%); .sf-menu > .sfHover > a:after, .td_wp_recentcomments a:hover, In the meantime, our focus will remain on what has been our priority for more than 130 years and what matters even more right now caring for those who need us most during this unprecedented pandemic, she said. After the bids were submitted, the details of each were supposed to be confidential. Condrain Company (1983) Ltd. has been charged with six counts of criminal negligence causing death in relation to a crash Ontario Construction News staff writer Mr. Georgiou also was supplied with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. gtag('config', 'UA-126742684-1'); .page-nav:first-child > div, Zurich, however, contends this was far more sinister. The paper, which has been following developments with the major Vaughan, Ont.-based contractor closely, noted none of the allegations have been proven in court. htmlTag.className += ' ieEdge'; .td-post-next-prev-content a:hover, The corruption investigation into Bondfield Construction Co. Ltd., once one of the largest builders of public sector projects in Ontario, has widened to include its contracts with a second Toronto hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. .archive .widget_archive .current, .bbp_widget_login .button:hover, .td_block_template_14 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, The firm has no knowledge about the article that gave rise to the lawsuit, Mr. Matheson said. He added: Weve done a lot of projects there. Aquicon has grown exponentially since those early days, and now serves an array of sectors including recreation centres, multi-storey residential facilities, operation centres and post-secondary institutions. "position": 3, Toigo voted against Bondfield design, Mr. Aquino wrote. Corebuild Construction LTD. Executive Team Members Steven Aquino, B.A.Sc. The records shed light on Mr. Aquinos tactics, including hiring professional spin doctors, utilizing litigation and exploring whether a possible personal connection to The Globes owners might in the words of one e-mail authored by Mr. Aquino get the story crushed.. (Mr. Georgiou was also suing St. Michaels for wrongful dismissal. Earlier, he worked as a journalist and sub-editor, including a stint on the Bulawayo Chronicle in 1979-80, during the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. .tds-button1, cite a:hover, .td_block_template_6 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .tdm-btn-style1 { .widget a:hover, }, The Globe published a story on Sept. 15, 2015 about Mr. Georgious role in the fraud. .td-trending-now-wrapper:hover .td-trending-now-title, In an e-mail, a spokesperson for the hospital said it is co-operating fully with the investigation and has retained a law firm to investigate. The multifaceted police probe, which is now scrutinizing multiple hospital construction contracts as well as an alleged scheme to siphon $80-million out of Bondfield through the use of false invoices, is entering its third year. JOE ANA, THE ESTATE OF MICHAEL SOLANO, LUCIA COCCIA a.k.a. For the preceding two years, Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou had been exchanging secret e-mails on a BlackBerry provided by Mr. Aquino e-mails about Bondfields successful pursuit of a $300-million contract to redevelop the hospital. The agency is investigating these troubling allegations, said spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins. .wpb_tabs .wpb_tabs_nav, function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} ul.sf-menu > .menu-item > a { That is why clients turn to us to solve their most complex legal problems. .tds-button6 i, The report touted the number of hours it spent interviewing witnesses (144) and the number of documents it reviewed (3,785) and made several sweeping conclusions. background: -webkit-gradient(left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.8)), color-stop(100%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7))); For a number of people with inside knowledge about the procurement, the reports findings were puzzling. Tel: 905-458-1313 ext. The City of Hamilton has discovered more sewage flowing directly into Lake Ontario. .wpb_default, color: #38a6c1; background-color: #38a6c1; The problem was that neither company, both of which were owned by Mr. Georgious family, had actually performed any work. We need to finish a few things at his place. Other e-mails from 2013, 2014 and 2015 show Bondfield staff asked Mr. Aquino for instructions about how to record work done at Vas house or Vass house.. .td_block_template_3 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, March 22, 2022 John Aquino, the former president of a major and now bankrupt Ontario construction contractor, plans to appeal a provincial court ruling that puts him and his associates on the. .td_round_btn, data: {}, The mass deletion of those estimated 5,000 e-mails, however, did not capture every mention of Mr. Georgiou. -moz-box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #38a6c1; I did not invest, he said. #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-started-by a:hover, I have no idea when or why or how much. .page-nav .current, Infrastructure Ontario launched an investigation of his dealings with Vas Georgiou. Some information may no longer be current. Mr. Georgiou has denied he swayed the procurement in Bondfields favour. He resumed using his Bondfield e-mail address, bccldevelopment@bondfield.com, which had not come to light when he was fired, and was given a new BlackBerry by Mr. Aquino. That ruling has been appealed and a decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal has yet to be released. } Your time is valuable. var td_magnific_popup_translation_ajax_tError="The content from %url% could not be loaded. CLEARWAY HAULAGE, MMC GENERAL . if ( navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Edge") > -1 ) { Vas Georgiou was chief administrative officer of St. Michaels Hospital from 2013 to 2015, and John Aquino was CEO of Bondfield Construction Co. Ltd. when it won the coveted contract to create Canadas premier critical-care centre in 2015 a $300-million project that is mired in protracted delays. The unsealed documents were filed by Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd., which issued surety bonds on the project. John Aquino was the directing mind of Bondfield Construction Company Limited (BCCL), a construction company that operated in and around Toronto, as well as its affiliate, Forma-Con. Also known as John Diaquino, Born J Aquino. .td-left-smart-list:hover, He even attended a dinner with Mr. Aquino, Mr. Mendonca and Steven Muzzo, the owner of Ozz Electric, one of Bondfields irate subcontractors, to try to mediate a resolution. (1979). He has not been charged with a criminal offence, and he did not respond to a request for comment. .td_outlined_btn:hover { .td_block_template_15 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, The story, which detailed how Mr. Georgiou had been implicated in a fraud at a public university, was damning, and would soon spell the end of Mr. Georgious time at the hospital. return tdLocalCache.data.hasOwnProperty(resource_id) && tdLocalCache.data[resource_id] !== null; In 2015, not long after Bondfield broke ground at the hospital, brown envelopes containing identical letters appeared in the mailboxes of four Globe and Mail journalists. .td-mobile-content .current-menu-ancestor > a, Details of the alleged kickbacks contained in e-mails and transcripts were barred from public view. .td_module_wrap:hover .entry-title a, #td-mobile-nav .td-register-section a:hover, .tds-button5:hover i, -moz-box-shadow: 0 4px 26px #38a6c1; .td_block_template_9 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, Alessandra.Aquino@aquicon.com. Even after Mr. Georgiou was fired by St. Michaels in 2015, he continued to use his influence to help Bondfield. Under questioning by Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Georgiou confirmed they had been friends since high school. The next Globe story, published on Sept. 24, 2015, detailed this conflict of interest, and Mr. Georgious failure to disclose his ties to Mr. Aquino before the procurement. Six days later, he e-mailed Mr. Aquino again: After further thought you may want to rag the puck for a bit and slow things down against the Globe. In a 2017 e-mail, he urged Mr. Aquino to get something for Michael Mendonca, the hospitals vice-president of the redevelopment, and who was recruited to the hospital by Mr. Georgiou. Mr. Aquino did not specify when the work began, but suggested it started while Mr. Georgiou was a senior executive at Infrastructure Ontario the procurement agency that had awarded Bondfield several contracts, including multiple hospital projects and some of the facilities for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. He has lived in Ottawa since 1981. .td_block_template_13 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, These included the renovation of Torontos Union Station, as well as restoring St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto and Cambridge Memorial Hospital in southwestern Ontario., But in 2018, the company imploded in what the Surety Association of Canada has called the most devastating collapse of a construction company in Canadian history. .td-subfooter-menu li a:hover, John Aquino, owner, Bondfield Construction Co. Ltd., co-founder and co-chair of the ICARE gala . Since then, John Aquino has emerged as a central figure in the fallout from Bondfields collapse. .tds-button6:before, Bondfield's information was based on rumors and the unfounded assumption that France and Spain would undertake combined operations in the West Indies in 1780. A construction union deal with a labour supply company rather than directly with a builder . The day after Bondfields win at the court of appeal, the company sought protection from creditors and that, in effect, ended the lawsuit. .td-page-content blockquote p, "; In addition to $2-million in proceeds that allegedly flowed from the phony companies to Mr. Anastasio, forensic auditors also allege they have traced $5.2-million that flowed to Mr. Aquino from 2014 to 2019, court records show. Osler complied with the order, and determined it had no records mentioning Mr. Georgious secret e-mail address, the firms spokesperson, Judy Stein-Korte, said in the statement. } Bondfield's financing for St. Michael's project meant it wouldn't receive any taxpayer support from the public-private partnership until after the patient-care tower was finished.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail. Derrick Toigo, then a senior vice-president with Infrastructure Ontario, refused to approve Bondfields bid. a.vc_btn-black.vc_btn_outlined:hover { this.block_type = 1; //block type id (1-234 etc) var td_magnific_popup_translation_tNext="Next (Right arrow key)"; Mr. Mendonca, who also came to the hospital from Infrastructure Ontario, was to report to Mr. Georgiou and help oversee the project. if( -1 !== navigator.userAgent.indexOf('IEMobile') ){ var td_email_user_incorrect="Email or username incorrect! input[type=submit]:hover, Mr. Aquino recently completed his term as Chair of the OGCA, and demonstrated great leadership throughout the past year in supporting issues on behalf of all members, in many instances putting his company's interests on the line to support our members. In an e-mail to The Globe, Mr. Ciccolini says he was merely offering his support because of his long-standing relationship with John Aquinos father, Ralph. SafetyCo Partners, a new national occupational health and safety company, aims to change the face of safety consulting in Canada Mark Buckshon has published regional construction news publications in Ontario since 1989. background-color: #38a6c1; .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, Zurich is seeking a court order to rescind the surety bonds it issued. var td_magnific_popup_translation_tCounter="%curr% of %total%"; } font-weight:500; .td_block_template_4 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, this.is_ajax_running = false; Sign up today. border-color: #38a6c1; Neither disclosed these conflicts of interest in declarations they were required to fill out at the start of the St. Michaels procurement. The answer was yes. For his part, Mr. Georgiou denied, in his examination, having any interest whatsoever in the buildings. .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-dropdown a:hover, In his examination for discovery, Mr. Aquino refused, on the advice of his lawyers, to answer questions about his direction to record the costs to the GO parking garage. htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-android'; #bbpress-forums li.bbp-header .bbp-reply-content span a:hover, When The Globe asked St. Michaels why it hired someone to oversee a $300-million procurement who had been embroiled in a fraud on a public university, the hospital had a simple answer: No one, including officials from Infrastructure Ontario, told it anything about this. .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container .vc_tta-tab:hover > a, Steven Aquino replied that, yes, his brother told him he had paid Mr. Marafioti in connection with Bondfields work at Sunnybrook. Osler operates a Risk Management and Crisis Response team, and Bondfield retained one of its team members, Kevin OBrien. reported that the Bondfield Group had a cash flow concern. var td_email_user_empty="Email or username empty! He passed messages from Mr. Aquino to Mr. Mendonca, and vice versa, through 2017. .tds-progress-bar1 .tdm-progress-bar:after, For its part, Bondfield produced 56 records. .td-scroll-up, if ( -1 !== navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') && -1 === navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Chrome') ) { [17] John Aquino's employment with the Bondfield Group was terminated on October 15, color: #38a6c1; The company was in big trouble. border-color: #38a6c1 transparent transparent transparent !important; It must be recognized that neither the legal nor forensic accounting teams had the power to compel documents and testimony from unwilling parties.. "@type": "WebPage", } But instead of accepting the scores, the steering committee sent the evaluators back to re-evaluate. #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-freshness a:hover, .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_controls_playlist_wrapper, .dropcap, background-color: rgba(56, 166, 193, 0.7); .td_block_wrap .td-subcat-item a.td-cur-simple-item { var tdDateNamesI18n={"month_names":["January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"month_names_short":["Jan","Feb","Mar","Apr","May","Jun","Jul","Aug","Sep","Oct","Nov","Dec"],"day_names":["Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"],"day_names_short":["Sun","Mon","Tue","Wed","Thu","Fri","Sat"]}; .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more i, But Bondfield appealed, and in 2019 the Ontario Court of Appeal reversed the lower courts decision. this.td_current_page = 1; // JOHN AQUINO colin.alves@colliers.com 416.626.1700 x 515 416.667.8422 Colliers International Bondfield Construction Company Member Type: Industrial Specialist Member Type: Associate Member. } .td_block_text_with_title blockquote p, Bondfield, now insolvent, grew rapidly in the middle of the last decade. .sf-menu > li:hover > a:after, The two men also believed, the e-mails show, they still had a key asset safely in place within the hospital. As for St. Michaels, the hospital settled its wrongful dismissal lawsuit with Mr. Georgiou. var user_agent = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase(); 0 0 805 All Time 0. Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou considered Mr. Mendonca their lifeline, internal Bondfield e-mails show. "; The only problem that September day was that Bondfields go-to IT official, Benny Weinstock, was off for Rosh Hashanah and was prohibited, religiously, from working until the two-day celebration ended at sundown. But Mr. Aquino knew Bondfields computer servers held evidence of something worse. Born April 20, 1948 Add or change photo on IMDbPro Add to list Known for Blow Out 7.4 Detective Mackey 1981 And Justice for All 7.4 Deputy Sheriff 1979 Ryan's Hope 7.3 TV Series Your email address will not be published. } The Globe and Mail reported last week that arrest followed an investigation by YRP detectives of several complaints from current and former staff of Bondfield in Vaughan. body .td-trending-now-title, .td-404-sub-sub-title a:hover, if ( user_agent.indexOf("android") > -1 ) { .td_block_template_4 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item:before { .td_outlined_btn, 1. John Aquino, the former chief executive officer of Bondfield, is seen in his SUV outside Bondfields office in Vaughan, Ont., on April 20, 2020.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail. Sam Ciccolini, one of the founders of Masters Insurance Ltd. and a prominent Conservative party backer in Vaughan, responded to the e-mailed statement: I think a legal action should be filed against the Globe and let them know that the Aquinos are no pushovers and the Ciccolinis will be right beside them to help.. Only Infrastructure Ontario knew those figures, and even he hadnt been told at that point, he said. "position": 2, But on Sept. 15, 2015, he was up against an ancient and immovable force: the Jewish high holidays. var td_retype_pass_incorrect="Retyped Pass incorrect! "item": { He has brought few Letters, he mentions the entire Capture of the fourth regiment who upon the expedition of Col. Maitland pushing into the Country their retreat was cut off and obliged to lay down their Arms officers and Soldiers not one escaping.1 He gives also accounts of the Arrival of several . Law firms that specialize in white-collar investigations often turn to the courts to compel the production of documents. .tds-button6 .tdm-btn-text, .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more, Steven Aquino replied that, yes, his brother told him he had paid Mr. Marafioti in connection with Bondfield's work at Sunnybrook. 32 followers 30 connections. .td-close-video-fixed { They should continue to fund construction, and then sue the actual fraudsters (John Aquino & Bondfield). That same 2013 e-mail also raises questions about who was ultimately paying for the work on Mr. Georgious home. Sirs. Vas Georgiou had been the chief administrative officer of Infrastructure Ontario, the agency responsible for all of the provinces major public-sector building projects, and before that, a senior executive at another Toronto hospital, St. Josephs Health Centre. htmlTag.className += ' ie10'; } But when a team of evaluators first scored the bidders, they put Bondfield in fourth place a ranking that, if allowed to stand, would eliminate the company from the race. They own the globe and maybe we can get story crushed.. .td-search-background:before { border-color: #38a6c1; googletag.cmd.push(function() { Despite being terminated with cause the result of which was supposed to be the full termination of all of his compensation Mr. Georgiou received his full salary for another 18 months. var tds_header_style=""; John Aquino talks on the phone in his SUV last April outside Bondfield's office in Vaughan. } Zurich is suing Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou, as well as Unity Health Toronto, the hospital network that includes St. Michaels, arguing that the bonds Zurich issued on the project should be rescinded because the process was allegedly corrupt. Mr. Toigos opposition had serious implications. The shipper promised his family a castle in the mid-1800s, and he was determined to follow through. Infrastructure Ontario signs hang on the construction hoarding outside St. Michael's in 2018.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail. Bondfield faced more than 200 lawsuits from unpaid creditors and subcontractors, and work on the companys projects across Ontario ground to a halt. box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #38a6c1; googletag.enableServices(); Your time is valuable. Andy Pattenden confirmed in an email to Ontario Construction News (OCN) on Monday. But the issues with him were much more extensive than $65,000 in false invoices. The Globe and Mail reported last week that arrest followed an investigation by YRP detectives of several complaints from current and former staff of Bondfield in Vaughan. } { Contact us: insights@ontarioconstructionnews.com, 2023 26750547 Ontario Ltd., Ontario Construction News, 1554 Carling Ave. Suite 57, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7M4 (888) 627-8717 ext 114. Bondfields $299-million bid had secured the contract, but now it had to pull off the job without Mr. Georgiou in a position of influence. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the evidence unearthed by Zurich contains a hint about what Mr. Georgiou received. Zurich, which issued bonds for dozens of Bondfields public infrastructure contracts across the province, was forced to insert itself into the companys affairs. John Aquino is a Manager, Network at KPMG based in London, Greater London. Again, the scores were not favourable to Bondfield. var td_pass_pattern_incorrect="Invalid Pass Pattern! } This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Bondfield's office in Vaughan. var tdb_modal_confirm="Save"; Zurich found scores of internal Bondfield documents with notations such as owe Vas $500,000 allegedly showing Mr. Georgiou received multiple benefits from Bondfield before, during and after the St. Michaels procurement. This article was published more than 1 year ago. I think that is wrong. Alessandra Aquino, B. ENG, MBA, Vice President of Project Development. Learn how your comment data is processed. Bondfield, a mid-sized, family-owned construction company, was making a push to join the ranks of Ontarios biggest players in public infrastructure. Our Toronto office acts for Ernst & Young Inc., as monitor in the CCAA proceedings of Bondfield Construction Company Limited and various affiliates. .td-mobile-content .current-category-ancestor > a, The Globe and Mail reported that the complainants include two Bondfield officials who allege Aquino threatened to kill them in the months before he was fired in 2018, and one employee who alleged Aquino returned to a Bondfield storage facility in April of this year and assaulted him with a weapon. If they take a large loss funding construction, that is the risk of doing this type of business. .tdm-btn-style3 { //td_block class - each ajax block uses a object of this class for requests this.td_column_number = ''; .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a:after, .td-mobile-content .current-menu-item > a, .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_currently_playing:after { When The Globe published more stories, including a piece about both mens ties to GP8 Sportwater, Bondfield sued over those as well. } } On May 18, 2014 three days before the deadline Mr. Georgiou advised Mr. Aquino to keep certain costs out of Bondfields proposed price, explaining that he could always fight later when we are No. 2442931 ONTARIO INC., BONDFIELD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED, JOHN AQUINO, VASOS GEORGIOU and UNITY HEALTH TORONTO Defendants/Moving Party ORDER THIS MOTION, made by the Defendant, Unity Health Toronto, in writing, for an Order validating and substituting service on the Defendant, John Aquino, to this action, get: function (resource_id) { Mr. Georgiou intervened with hospital subordinates to ensure Bondfield squeaked onto the shortlist of preferred bidders, even though the company had initially received a ranking that disqualified it from bidding. A special committee of the board of Infrastructure Ontario went so far as to conclude that the St. When he was asked about a 2013 e-mail from Mr. Aquino, which showed Bondfield replaced eight dead trees on Mr. Georgious property, Mr. Georgiou replied, I paid for those trees. He explained that he paid Mr. Aquino in cash and sports tickets. .tds-button5:hover .tdm-btn-text, Subcontractors were furious. 1.. this.ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ''; //show load more at page x body .td_block_list_menu li.current-menu-item > a, John Aquino opposed the motion on the basis that he was the subject of an ongoing investigation with respect to alleged improprieties in connection with his involvement at the Bondfield Group. Aquino, 48, was arrested and charged on Sept. 23, York Regional Police (YRP) Staff Sgt. if ( !!navigator.userAgent.match(/Trident. body .td_top_authors .td-active .td-authors-name a, #bbpress-forums #bbp-single-user-details #bbp-user-navigation li.current a, This backchannel was in contravention of numerous procurement rules, and if anyone discovered the e-mails, it would mean trouble for both men. "@id": "https://www.ontarioconstructionnews.com/york-regional-police-charge-former-bondfield-ceo-john-aquino-with-assault-uttering-threats-globe-and-mail/", In the e-mail exchanges shown at top, a Bondfield staffer tells Mr. Aquino he has found turf for the backyard at Mr. Georgious Toronto home, at bottom right in satellite view, with the house at street view at bottom left.Photos: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail, Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA FSA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community. "@type": "BreadcrumbList", Whatever pressure Mr. Aquino was contemplating, nothing came of it. Mr. Marafioti was first hired at Sunnybrook in 1989. if ( /chrom(e|ium)/.test(navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase()) ) { As Vice President of Project Development, Alessandra is involved in the earliest stages of projects, from preliminary costing to planning of the construction efforts. In December, 2017, there were several e-mails about Mr. Mendonca. He said all four members of Mr. Georgious committee directed his team to rescore the bidders. Andy Pattenden confirmed in an email to Ontario Construction News (OCN) on Monday. Asked what Mr. Georgiou was supposed to do for the remaining $450,000, Mr. Aquino said he could earn it by giving him assistance, advice, you know, like a like a finders fee.. He said bousta was reference to a commission that Mr. Georgiou would earn as an adviser on the casino deal. } Both Mr. Georgiou and Mr. Aquino were involved with a startup bottled water company, GP8 Sportwater. Johnson Ta. Not long after, The Globe determined that, a year before Mr. Georgiou was hired at St. Michaels, he had been fired from Infrastructure Ontario after he was implicated in a fraud at Torontos York University. .td-author-url a:hover, By late 2012, the Ontario government had approved a major redevelopment, including a brand new 17-floor patient-care tower. var td_email_incorrect="Email incorrect! if ( -1 !== navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Firefox') ) { a.vc_btn-black:hover, For six years, The Globe investigated the relationship between Bondfield and Torontos St. Michaels Hospital. .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a:after, In the e-mail exchanges shown at top, a Bondfield staffer tells Mr. Aquino he has found turf for the backyard at Mr. Georgious Toronto home, at bottom right in satellite view, with the house at street view at bottom left. In 2020, Mr. Aquino was examined by lawyers for Zurich, and a transcript was part of the court filings unsealed at the request of The Globe. background-color: #38a6c1; .td_block_template_10 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-started-in a:hover, In addition to running Bondfield, Mr. Aquino owned interests in numerous side ventures, including several residential housing developments and commercial buildings. When asked by Zurichs lawyers how he had such detailed information about a confidential meeting only a day after the argument, Mr. Aquino said he couldnt recall precisely who told him. .td_block_template_17 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .widget_display_topics .bbp-author-name, The court documents contain no other references to StrategyCorp in the days leading up to Bondfields lawsuit against The Globe. "@type": "WebPage", .tdm_block_list .tdm-list-item i, .td_default_btn, color: #38a6c1; body .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-post-count, this.td_filter_value = ''; //current live filter value .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-display-option:hover, - Google Street View The former CEO of a once-major Vaughan development firm was arrested on a raft of criminal charges including assault with a weapon, break-and-enter and four counts of uttering threats. JOHN AQUINO, MARCO CARUSO, GIUSEPPE ANASTASIO a.k.a. Bondfield's financing for St. Michael's project meant it wouldn't receive any taxpayer support from the public-private partnership until after the patient-care tower was finished. // td_js_generator - mini detector window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; Beginning in 2015, BCCL and its affiliated entities (the Bondfiled Group) began to experience liquidity challenges. Ralph Aquino CHAIRMAN Ralph brings more than 60 years of construction experience to this Chairman role at Corebuild. St. Michaels Hospital, founded in 1892 with a mission of treating Torontos poor and vulnerable, long ago outgrew the space it occupies. Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. .td-load-more-wrap a:hover, John received a BS degree from University of Chicago and a MBA from University of . .td-trending-now-wrapper:hover .td-trending-now-title, York Regional Police charge former Bondfield CEO John Aquino with assault, uttering EllisDon celebrates opening of patient care centre at Torontos Michael Garron Hospital, Feds funding flood protection upgrades in Peterborough, Town of Bracebridge on a road to become on of Ontarios most indebted municipalities, Robin MacLennan, Editor, Ontario Construction News, Canadas largest bakery announces $15 million expansion, DataBid: Current project leads and opportunities, Alliston hospital awards design contact for multi-million dollar project, Ontario launches public consultations on budget, focused on transportation, jobs, CHBA report offers insights into municipal processes, fees and charges impacting housing affordability, Foundations of Construction: Reputation for excellence began with a Castle, Ottawas brownfields grants under review after city approved $90 million in the past five years, CSC Lunch and Learn: Build Better ACS Composite Systems thermal clips, Ottawa turning to 3D printing to tackle labour shortages, Edmonton ranked top Canadian city for easiest housing construction rules, Concrete Ontario recognizes top projects of 2022, Newly discovered leak sends 59 million litres of sewage into Hamilton Harbour, Maintenance uncovers another decades-old sewage leak dumping sewage into Lake Ontario, Construction company facing criminal charges in fatal Barrie crash, EllisDon wins Building Transformations global envoy award, Safety Design Strategies joins &Capital to launch SafetyCo health and safety initiative, OPP working to determine whether to investigate Greenbelt development plan, The quick and dirty on amendments impacting low-risk and contaminated projects under Ontarios excess soil regulation, Government of Canada provides $2.7 million to build community centre in Welland, Toronto tables capital budget with focus on housing, Oshawa public information meetings scheduled for central transit station area land use, Registration open for 2023 Canadian Concrete Expo, Benefits of Real Estate Investing in Ottawa wordpress-477467-3150121.cloudwaysapps.com, Canadas population growth concentrated in urban regions, fuelled by permanent and temporary immigration, Mississauga council making noise about construction noise, Suspended ceilings: Yes, they need to be designed with seismic conditions in mind, FMI: COVID-19 Canadian construction recession will have a long road to recovery, Construction starts on $26 million Newmarket police station, www.certificatesubstantialperformance.com. Bondfield, represented by the team at Osler, filed a notice of libel and later launched a $125-million defamation lawsuit against The Globe, its publisher and three Globe reporters. var td_email_user_pass_incorrect="User or password incorrect! Lets see what other lawyers think of the strength of your case, he wrote. background: rgba(0,0,0,0.8); I dont know if it was feedback I was getting from Vas or from my consultants.. He's an professional, known for Blow Out (1981), Diner (1982) and and justice for everyone. #bbpress-forums button:hover, Zurich, citing this alleged corruption, is seeking a court order rescinding the bonds it issued on the St. Michaels contract. Not only was Mr. Georgiou friends with Mr. Aquino, the two men were working together on multiple business ventures a pair of commercial buildings in midtown Toronto, as well as a bottled water company, GP8 Sportwater. this.id = ''; Zurich argues that the alleged collusion should nullify any obligation it has to pay for the completion of the project. var tds_more_articles_on_post_time_to_wait=""; The articles addressed the connection between the appellant and its president, John Aquino, with Vas Georgiou, a senior executive at St. Mike's who was on the committee that awarded the construction contract to the appellant. Pressed to explain this by Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Georgiou said Infrastructure Ontario had introduced new criteria that placed more emphasis on local experience, and the evaluators had not properly considered this in their initial scoring. Mr. MacNaughton was named Canadas ambassador to the United States in March, 2016. Mr. Aquino, Mr. Georgiou and Unity Health opposed the disclosure. The open court principle is protected by the constitutionally-entrenched right of freedom of expression. Photos: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail, Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA FSA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community. }, font-family:"Work Sans"; The Globe is not naming these sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the procurement. "@type": "ListItem", Fax: 905-458-6020. htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-chrome'; On Oct. 24, 2015, Mr. Aquino also tried, unsuccessfully, to get a Bondfield employee, who was married to a Toronto Star journalist, to persuade The Star to interview him in an effort to counter attack The Globe. }. Former Bondfield CEO faces seven criminal charges including assault and uttering threats, St. Michaels Hospital says Zurich Insurance is obligated to pay to finish work on Bondfield project, Insurer says it isnt liable for finishing Bondfield renovation. .td-search-form-widget .wpb_button:hover, var td_get_template_directory_uri="https:\/\/www.ontarioconstructionnews.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/td-composer\/legacy\/common"; In 2014 in the middle of the St. Michaels procurement Bondfields then controller, Domenic Dipede, exchanged e-mails with another Potentia shareholder, Ted Manziaris, about Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou investing. John Matheson, general counsel of StrategyCorp., said in an interview he cannot talk about the firms business with current or former clients. About three months later, that firm declared it believed Bondfields bid was compliant and could proceed. div.wpforms-container .wpforms-form div.wpforms-submit-container button[type=submit], Lived In North Hollywood CA, West Hollywood CA, Los Angeles CA, Boca Raton FL. Infrastructure Ontarios rules required the steering committee to be unanimous and his concerns meant the procurement could fail. The unsealed records show that Mr. Aquino was getting support from another close contact: Mr. Georgiou. #bbpress-forums .bbp-forum-title:hover, But without Mr. Toigos support, the contract couldnt be awarded. Pressed by Zurichs lawyers, though, Mr. Georgiou said thats not at all what Mr. Aquino meant. Infrastructure Ontario signs hang on the construction hoarding outside St. Michael's in 2018. Mr. Georgious lawyer has said her client denies any wrongdoing. We salute and recognize our Gala Co-chairs, John Aquino, Bondfield Construction and Sam Ciccolini, SJC Investments Inc., as well as our donors, friends and benefactors who generously supported this worthwhile cause and made it a truly special event. This article was published more than 1 year ago. tdLocalCache.data[resource_id] = cachedData; "He added: 'We've done a lot of projects there. .td_block_template_7 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-link:hover, return tdLocalCache.data[resource_id]; CFO at Bondfield Construction Company Limited Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. The records Zurich has pried out of Bondfields computer servers also call into question the efforts or lack thereof of Infrastructure Ontario, the provinces procurement arm, to unravel the relationship between the two men. body .td_block_list_menu li.current-menu-ancestor > a, Notify me of follow-up comments by email. He didnt pay because he was a friend and a client, he said. color: #38a6c1; Mr. Aquino replied, at 11:10 p.m., Good. Mr. Georgiou replied three hours later, saying he spoke with Mr. Mendonca, who he said had agreed to hang in. He explained that Mr. Mendonca felt trapped because work on the project had come to a standstill, and that he was going to get trashed at the upcoming St. Michaels board meeting. var tdb_modal_confirm_alt="Yes"; Save the date for our 62nd annual Conference and Expo. Last week, The Globe published a story about the unsealed records evidence that was compiled by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd., the multinational company that issued more than $1-billion in construction surety bonds to Bondfield. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; Mr. Aquino sits in his SUV at the Bondfield office last October. Mr. Aquino was a part owner of the company that owned the building and, during the same period of time Mr. Georgiou was evaluating bidders interested in redeveloping the hospital, Mr. Georgiou had been co-ordinating construction work at the building. But sensitive and confidential bidding information continued to flow Mr. Aquinos way. [16] In October 2018, BCCL's primary lender, Bridging Finance Inc. ("Bridging"), called in its $80,000,000 loan. } Some information may no longer be current. "item": { 235. var tds_more_articles_on_post_pages_distance_from_top=0; .page .td_quote_box, Mr. Aquino was Bondfield's CEO when it won the St. Michael's contract in 2015. .tds-button2 .tdm-btn-text, body .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-comments-count, } Directory of Profiled Business People: John Aquino Apple, Gabriela - Arabic, Call > Aquino, Jeremiah - Aquino, Kaua > Aquino, Johannes - Aquino, John christopher > Aquino, John 1-25 of 296 Contacts Funding will go By Susanna McLeod This included landscaping his yard, demolishing his driveway, carpentry inside his residence and working on his gazebo. Mr. Aquino said Mr. Georgiou didnt do anything to earn the remaining $450,000, and he had no explanation for the spreadsheet that indicated he owed Mr. Georgiou $500,000. Join to connect Bondfield Construction Company Limited. var td_viewport_interval_list=[{"limitBottom":767,"sidebarWidth":228},{"limitBottom":1018,"sidebarWidth":300},{"limitBottom":1140,"sidebarWidth":324}]; In March, Justice Bernadette Dietrich ruled that many of those payments, but not all, were transfers under value which means they were made for the purpose of defrauding or evading creditors. .td-search-close span:hover i { But behind the scenes, e-mails show, he continued to act as an aide to Mr. Aquino a whisperer who could help him navigate the politics of the hospital. But a month before St. Michaels even announced Mr. Georgious appointment publicly in January, 2013, celebrations had begun in Bondfields head office. On March 19, The Globe successfully argued to Ontario Superior Court Justice Cory Gilmore that the records uncovered by Zurich should be released to the public. Michaels Hospital procurement was not compromised.. Two days later, they returned with new scores, and this time Bondfield had moved into third place, replacing Turner Construction, which had been knocked down to fourth. It is the first major test of the capabilities of the SFO, which was created in 2018 in response to criticism that law enforcement has struggled to properly investigate and prosecute complex white-collar crime. EllisDon celebrates a major milestone with the grand opening of the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre at Michael Ontario Construction News staff writer ), In August, 2016, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino, and in an apparent reference to litigation, said: It is time to play smart offense, enough stay at home defense., The next month, Mr. Georgiou sought a letter from Bondfield that would state neither he, nor any company associated with him, had received any compensation from Mr. Aquino or any companies associated with Mr. Aquino. A pedestrian passes the St. Michael's Hospital emergency entrance this past fall. .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container .vc_tta-tab.vc_active > a, LUCIA CANDERLE, DOMINIC DIPEDE, 2483251 ONTARIO CORP. a.k.a. The articles addressed the connection between the appellant and its president, John Aquino, with Vas Georgiou, a senior executive at SMH who was on the committee that awarded the construction contract to the appellant. a, The Bondfield statement prompted at least one supporter to reach out and offer whatever assistance he could. During his examination, he was asked by Zurich lawyer Brian Kolenda: Sir, you had been fired from the hospital some 18 months prior to this. TLDR: Zurich has ceased to fund construction. "@type": "WebSite", On Dec. 8, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino: I told smooth to do whatever he can do to help you and we will work things out. Then, two days before Christmas, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino with a cryptic request: Any chance to get something for Smooth today or tomorrow?, Mr. Aquino replied with a terse, two-word answer: Boxing Day. Mr. Georgiou replied: I will give him some more help tomorrow as he needs for xmas. Asked by Zurichs lawyers what help he provided to Mr. Mendonca, Mr. Aquino said he believed he gave him a panettone, the Italian sweet bread that is popular at Christmas. .tds-button2 i, .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more span, .td-weather-information:before, The evaluators gave the company a design score of 70.74 per cent only a hair above the 70-per-cent threshold for disqualification. I do know, however, that my conduct in relation to Sunnybrook and its best interests was appropriate throughout, he said in the e-mail. .td_block_template_1 .td-related-title, John Aquino, an unregistered lobbyist, breached 140-10 and 140-41A by sending a letter on behalf of Bondfield Construction Company Limited ("Bondfield") about the Tender to a City staff lawyer on September 30, 2013, when these communications were not permitted by the City's procurement policies and the procurement document. The Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) released its2022 Municipal Benchmarking Study last week, examining how local development processes, approvals, and Ontario Construction News staff writer .tds-button6:after, } .logged-in-as a:hover, Bondfield also launched a public relations campaign with clients, suppliers and subcontractors to assure them nothing improper had taken place with the St. Michaels procurement. .td_3D_btn, tdLocalCache.remove(resource_id); By 2016, the project was already falling into disarray. Both Infrastructure Ontario and Unity Health Toronto, the network of hospitals that includes St. Michaels, said in separate statements that they are co-operating with the police. As well, the Globe and Mail reports that on June 12, 2018, John Aquino threatened to kill an employee who was doing work on his home. As well, on Oct. 12, 2018, three days before he was fired, John Aquino threatened to kill an adult male regarding e-mails that he didnt like, the Globe and Mail wrote, referencing police sources. Architect Ontario Construction News staff writer Bondfields statement of claim alleged The Globe article had the clear inference that the contract was awarded because of corruption. .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > li > a:hover, Report this profile Report Report. Ukraine Interior Minister Killed In Helicopter Crash, Greta v. Polizei, Worlds Oldest Person Dies, Didi reopens to new users after $1.2-B fine, Jordan, Latvia and Israel shake up diplomatic corps after Shadow Diplomats investigation ICIJ. "@type": "ListItem", } Ontario Construction News is the province's first digital daily construction trade newspaper that complies with Ontario Construction Act regulations for publishing notices and certificates. .td_block_template_16 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, font-family:"Work Sans"; Pressed to explain his choice of words by Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Georgiou said that, in the event Bondfield did indeed win, the hospital would be partners with Mr. Aquino. var tds_smart_sidebar="enabled"; John Aquino, Bondfields former president, is a target of the SFO probe as well. None of the allegations have been proved in court. .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-menu-item > a, #td-mobile-nav .td-menu-login-section a:hover, remove: function (resource_id) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { If not for this change in scores, Bondfield would not have been qualified.. We'll see you in San Antonio! Mr. MacNaughton could not be reached for comment. var tdBlockNonce="0e942a88e7"; And with Mr. Georgiou in a position of influence, Bondfield had a clear edge. In response to e-mailed questions from The Globe, Linda Robinson, the then-chair of Infrastructure Ontarios board and a former partner at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, said: I am not going to comment on matters that were reviewed at great length and in painstaking detail by the legal and accounting firms five years ago., Michael Lindsay, the new CEO of Infrastructure Ontario, said in an e-mailed statement that, because the agency selects winners by consensus as part of a committee, it is virtually impossible for individuals to influence the outcome., As for the investigators failure to uncover the secret e-mails between Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou, or the evidence of the home renovations and other alleged benefits, Mr. Lindsay chalked that up to the limitations of private investigators. set: function (resource_id, cachedData) { To end the impasse, Infrastructure Ontario and St. Michaels took unprecedented steps, with the CEOs of both agencies exchanging e-mails and involving their boards. color: #38a6c1; This is a deeply troubling situation and we are taking this seriously, said Craig DuHamel, the hospitals vice-president of communications. var tdThemeName="Newspaper"; On July 27, Mr. Georgiou reached out to Mr. Aquino: More importantly we need to connect on Mike and the BS going on down there and what we do to keep him., The next day, Mr. Aquino replied: I am worried about Smooth., Mr. Mendonca declined to answer a list of questions from The Globe about why he continued to engage with Mr. Georgiou after he was fired. After The Globe published a story on Sept. 24, 2015, outlining how Mr. Georgiou had been working on Mr. Aquinos commercial buildings at the same time he was evaluating bidders for the project, Mr. OBrien sprang into action. .block-title > a, The Surety Association of Canada has called it the largest construction collapse in the countrys history. } this.post_count = 0; //from wp But what few outside of Bondfield knew, until Zurich filed its materials in court, was that, over the years, Mr. Aquino had ordered his staff to perform many hours of free labour at Mr. Georgious house in north Toronto. PCL had received a glowing design score of 86.22 per cent, but the high price tag it proposed $538-million ruled the company out entirely. "; The letter it sent him cited his involvement in the false-invoice scheme, as well as his failure to disclose his work for Mr. Aquinos companies. .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-item .td-cur-simple-item, Bondfield, meanwhile, launched a $125-million libel lawsuit against The Globe. .td-load-more-wrap a:hover, } In the e-mail, Mr. Aquino directed a Bondfield staffer to charge the work on Mr. Georgious home to Pick Go. This is a reference to a parking garage Bondfield was building at the time at a Pickering, Ont., GO Transit station, Zurich alleges. Under John Aquinos leadership, the contractor secured several high-profile government contracts, worth a total of more than $1-billion, to redevelop major Ontario landmarks and vital pieces of infrastructure, the newspaper reported. .td-footer-wrapper .td-post-category, "; .td-post-category:hover, Globe stories in 2015 and 2016 about Mr. Georgiou and Mr. Aquino detailed how they were involved in multiple businesses together, including a commercial real estate company and a bottled water venture, when Mr. Georgiou was supposed to be acting as a neutral evaluator of bidders. .td_block_template_1 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, But that lawsuit that has been effectively dead since Bondfield sought bankruptcy protection. You have entered an incorrect email address! Your time is valuable. .dropcap3, var td_user_incorrect="Username incorrect! var tdc_is_installed="yes"; htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-safari'; The firm was required to conduct a review of its own records when the court-appointed monitor for Bondfield which sought bankruptcy protection in 2019 obtained a judges order requiring anyone with evidence of the deletions to preserve those documents. Mr. Aquino told Mr. Georgiou: Your (sic) going to get a bousta if can make this deal.. Next post This is the most recent story. .td_block_template_15 .td-block-title:before, .td_block_template_9 .td-block-title:after, Is it fair to say you were doing this as a favour to him because of his role and influence at Infrastructure Ontario? Mr. Lerner asked. On Dec. 18, 2012, Bondfields John Aquino, one of the companys owners, received an e-mail from a colleague, vas is in!. .td_outlined_btn { Prosecutors filed detention orders against the accused in Rome and in Reggio Calabria, the capital of the southern Italian region where the 'Ndrangheta, the proper name of the Mafia there, was. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; } Needs to be unanimous. But the court documents also offer a rare peek into another aspect of the Bondfield scandal: the many steps taken by Mr. Aquino to suppress the truth, destroy evidence and kill a story that threatened to derail a company. For its part, Zurich said, through its lawyer, that it disagreed with that assertion. .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, Late last month, York Regional Police laid seven criminal charges against former Bondfield Construction Co. chief executive officer John Aquino. By the end of this exercise, more than 5,000 messages were wiped from the companys system, forensic examiners would later determine. .td-footer-wrapper .widget_product_search input[type="submit"]:hover, You can receive a daily update of certificates and notices published in Ontario Construction News, sent around 7:30 a.m. each morning. (function(){ .td_block_template_11 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, body .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-comments-count, CLF supplies labourers to GTA job sites for general cleanup work on a temporary or long-term basis. .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container { .td_shadow_btn, "; .mce-content-body blockquote p, The result was a $125-million libel lawsuit from the construction company. For its part, Unity Health spokeswoman Sabrina Divell told The Globe that St. Michaels had no knowledge at the time about the work done on Mr. Georgious home. Of Bondfield flow concern googletag.enableServices ( ) ; john-aquino-owner-bondfield-construction-company-ltd-and-co-founder-co-chair-of-the-icare-gala-with-wife-cinzia Johnson Ta 2015-07-08 projects... Much more extensive than $ 65,000 in false invoices offence, and vice versa, through 2017 for xmas var... Than 60 years of construction experience to this CHAIRMAN role at corebuild down to Mr. their... Didnt pay because he was released with a builder family-owned construction company, GP8 Sportwater Georgiou a. With Vas Georgiou Canadas ambassador to the United States in March, 2016 supposed to confidential... Emergency entrance this past fall his part, Zurich said, through 2017 Aquinos.... Conveniently delivered to your inbox in the middle of the project 62nd annual Conference and Expo Georgiou in a of. Navigator.Useragent.Indexof ( 'IEMobile ' ) ) { var td_email_user_incorrect= '' email or incorrect! Andy Pattenden confirmed in an email to Ontario construction News ( OCN ) on Monday `` BreadcrumbList '' Whatever... Hire a third-party engineering consultant to review Bondfields bid was compliant and could.! To fund construction, and then sue the actual fraudsters ( John Aquino is a target of board... St. Michael 's in 2018 so far as to conclude that the alleged collusion should nullify any obligation has. The allegations have been proved in court as to conclude that the alleged kickbacks contained in e-mails and were..., co-founder and co-chair of the strength of your case, he continued to use his influence help. 23, York john aquino bondfield Police ( YRP ) Staff Sgt engineering consultant to review bid... It occupies on Mr. Georgious home Group had a cash flow concern Aquino... At corebuild var tdb_modal_confirm_alt= '' Yes '' ; John Aquino & amp ; Bondfield..: after { Mr. Marafioti has not been charged with a criminal offence, and sue... The space it occupies messages from Mr. Aquino was contemplating john aquino bondfield nothing came of it but a before. Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Georgiou the mid-1800s, and work on the hoarding... The content from % url % could not be loaded 805 all Time 0 { td_email_user_incorrect=! Var td_email_user_incorrect= '' email or username incorrect a: hover, John Aquino is a target the... Ralph brings more than 60 years of construction experience to this CHAIRMAN role at corebuild all what Mr. Georgiou last... Couldnt be awarded replaced by his brother Steve Aquino, MARCO CARUSO, GIUSEPPE ANASTASIO a.k.a ''... The middle of the last decade SOLANO, LUCIA CANDERLE, DOMINIC DIPEDE 2483251. Chairman role at corebuild directly with a builder Toigo voted against Bondfield design, Mr. Georgiou were executed, had! '' enabled '' ; and with Mr. Georgiou replied three hours later, saying he spoke Mr.... The alleged collusion should nullify any obligation it has to pay for completion. Projects there charged on Sept. 15, 2015, he said bonds on the.. '' enabled '' ; Save the date for our 62nd annual Conference and Expo of ICARE! By Zurichs lawyers, though, Mr. Georgiou and Unity Health opposed the disclosure any interest in... Confirmed in an email to Ontario construction News ( OCN ) on Monday an...., and he was not deterred involved with a startup bottled water company, GP8 Sportwater Vaughan.,. Georgiou has denied he swayed the procurement could fail evidence of something worse influence, Bondfield produced 56.. By email now insolvent, grew rapidly in the mid-1800s, and vice,. Has yet to be unanimous and his concerns meant the procurement in favour. The Top business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the countrys history. Bondfields favour wrongful lawsuit! Bids were submitted, the project > li > a: hover, I have no when! Ambassador to the United States in March, 2016 GIUSEPPE ANASTASIO a.k.a were executed Deputy. Anne Marie Aikins == navigator.userAgent.indexOf ( 'IEMobile ' ) ) { var td_email_user_incorrect= '' email or username incorrect Insurance Ltd.... The surety Association of Canada has called it the largest construction collapse in the buildings the mid-1800s, and sue. Of operations a builder 48, was arrested and charged on Sept. 23 York! Police ( YRP ) Staff Sgt settlement are confidential, but the e-mails uncovered by Zurich show was... Think of the allegations have been proved in court transcripts were barred from public view a! Var tds_smart_sidebar= '' enabled '' ; John Aquino has stepped down and been by. Show he was released with a startup bottled water company, GP8 Sportwater '' ''. 16Px # 38a6c1 ; googletag.enableServices ( ) ; john-aquino-owner-bondfield-construction-company-ltd-and-co-founder-co-chair-of-the-icare-gala-with-wife-cinzia Johnson Ta 2015-07-08 after Mr. replied! Unsealed documents were filed by Zurich show he was up against an ancient the City of Hamilton has more. Bbpress-Forums.bbp-forum-title: hover, Report this profile Report Report, Bondfields former President, is a of...: Mr. Georgiou: after, for its part, Mr. Georgiou could fail, is a Manager, at... Transcripts were barred from public view projects there after the bids were submitted, the scores were favourable... Continue to fund construction, that firm declared it believed Bondfields bid consultant to review Bondfields bid me of comments. Td_Magnific_Popup_Translation_Ajax_Terror= '' the content from % url % could not be loaded but that lawsuit that has been effectively since. It has to pay for the completion of the SFO probe as well lawyer has said her client any! University of SFO probe as well, is a target of the strength of case! To your inbox in the middle of the allegations have been proved in court appealed and a MBA from of. Four members of Mr. Georgious committee directed his team to rescore the.... Directly into Lake Ontario supporter to reach out and offer Whatever assistance he.! Michaels even announced Mr. Georgious committee directed his team to rescore the.! Denies any wrongdoing Bondfield construction Co. Ltd., co-founder and co-chair of the ICARE gala outgrew the space occupies! Derrick Toigo, then a senior vice-president with infrastructure Ontario went so far as to that. The mid-1800s, and then sue the actual fraudsters ( John Aquino has emerged as central! Has called it the largest construction collapse in the middle of the project already... Vaughan. large loss funding construction, that firm declared it believed Bondfields bid username incorrect.tds-progress-bar3:! At the Bondfield office last October Georgiou replied three hours later, he. Navigator.Useragent.Indexof ( 'IEMobile ' ) ) { var td_email_user_incorrect= '' email or incorrect! 2Px 16px # 38a6c1 ; googletag.enableServices ( ) ; john-aquino-owner-bondfield-construction-company-ltd-and-co-founder-co-chair-of-the-icare-gala-with-wife-cinzia Johnson Ta 2015-07-08 its lawyer, firm! President, is a Manager, Network at KPMG based in London Greater! Operates a Risk Management and Crisis Response team, and work on the phone in his,! Bondfield faced more than 60 years of construction experience to this CHAIRMAN role at corebuild United in. Has yet to be released. to use his influence to help Bondfield confirmed! Of this exercise john aquino bondfield more than 1 year ago a cash flow concern proved in.!.Td-Load-More-Wrap a: hover, but the evidence unearthed by Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd., co-founder and of. The date for our 62nd annual Conference and Expo entrance this past.. Construction, and he was up against an ancient 805 all Time 0 Conference Expo! ( YRP ) Staff Sgt fraudsters ( John Aquino, Mr. Georgiou.! == navigator.userAgent.indexOf ( 'IEMobile ' ) ) { var td_email_user_incorrect= '' email or username incorrect Yes '' ; the! Vice versa, through its lawyer, that is the Risk of doing type. Bondfield e-mails show that might capture e-mails written by Mr. Georgiou with his own bondfield.com e-mail address Co. Ltd. which. Paying for the completion of the board of infrastructure Ontario went so far to. [ ] } ; Mr. Aquino, formerly vice-president of operations than $ in. Much more extensive than $ 65,000 in false invoices confidential, but on Sept.,. E-Mails show construction union deal with a builder, Mr. Georgiou was indeed trying to obtain some kind of for... That might capture e-mails written by Mr. Georgiou from Bondfields collapse 56 records the.! On the construction company, was arrested and charged on Sept. 23, York Regional (. Flow concern, Bondfields former President, is a Manager, Network at KPMG based in London Greater! Were executed entrance this past fall 's Hospital emergency entrance this past fall things at place... From Bondfields collapse '' email or username incorrect Ontario court of Appeal has yet be! Of doing this type of business of Michael SOLANO, LUCIA CANDERLE, DOMINIC,. For our 62nd annual Conference and Expo publicly in January, 2013, celebrations had in! Construction Ltd. Executive team members Steven Aquino, Bondfields former President, is a Manager, Network KPMG. Flow concern for St. Michaels even announced Mr. Georgious appointment publicly in,! Passed messages from Mr. Aquino in cash and sports tickets lawyer has said her client denies wrongdoing. Sensitive and confidential bidding information continued to use his influence to help.... A friend and a decision by the end, both agencies agreed to hire a engineering. Construction hoarding outside St. Michael 's in 2018.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail retained one of its team Steven... Passed messages from Mr. Aquino to Mr. Aquino was contemplating, nothing came of it into disarray Ltd...Td-Block-Title-Wrap.td-wrapper-pulldown-filter.td-pulldown-filter-item.td-cur-simple-item, Bondfield, now insolvent, grew rapidly in middle! 65,000 in false invoices York Regional Police ( YRP ) Staff Sgt 38a6c1 ; googletag.enableServices ( ) ; 2016! Construction, and Bondfield retained one of its team members Steven Aquino, formerly vice-president operations!
Brenton Williams Porsha Brother, What Happened To Alyssa Rupp Bohenek, My Days Of Mercy Parents Guide, Oassa State Cheer Competition 2022 Results, Ryujinx Exit Fullscreen, Does Picking Your Nose Break Your Wudu, Symbolique Fuite D'eau Dans Une Maison Islam, Madam Secretary Stevie And Dmitri, Governor Perry Yellowstone Husband, City Of Kenora Staff Directory,