October 16, 2023

Think Twice Before Proceeding By Way of Application When Dealing With Allegations of Fraud

by Corey Groper

In Sase Aggregate Ltd. v. Langdon, the Court of Appeal for Ontario dismissed a plaintiff’s attempt to recoup fraudulently obtained funds from the fraudster’s wife, who was a stranger to the fraud. In doing so, the Court provided guidance on the high standard required to properly trace misappropriated funds, even in the most clear-cut cases of fraud. It also provided useful commentary on how proceeding by way of application may hinder the effective adjudication of civil fraud claims.

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August 1, 2023

Leaving on a Jet Plane? Not so Fast

by Corey Groper

In Wayne Safety Inc. v. Diana Gendelman et al., Osborne J. considered when a court may order defendants in a civil proceeding to surrender their passports. After noting that the jurisprudence in this area is “relatively limited” , he set out a number of useful factors for future courts to consider in determining whether an order compelling the surrender of passports should be made.

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July 12, 2023

The rejection of a third party’s evidence is not capable of establishing liability for the torts of knowing assistance or knowing receipt

by Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland

In Quantum Dealer Financial Corporation v. Toronto Fine Cars and Leasing Inc., the Court of Appeal for Ontario considered the torts of knowing assistance and knowing receipt, confirming that the former “requires a heightened level of awareness by strangers to the trust relationship”, while the latter requires “knowledge of facts that would put a reasonable person on notice to inquire into the situation.

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May 9, 2023

Avenues for Recovering Fraudulently Obtained Funds When the Fraudster’s Pockets are Empty

by Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland

Establishing a fraud is only the first step. Even in the most clear-cut cases of civil fraud, actually recovering the ill-gotten gains is often a challenging and time-consuming endeavor.

In this bulletin, Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland discuss potential avenues for fraud victims to recoup assets when fraudsters are judgment-proof.

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April 19, 2023

The Nature of the Property is an Important Consideration when Advancing a Claim for Conversion

by Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland

The Court of Appeal for Ontario’s recent decision in Tar Heel Investments Inc. v. H.L. Staebler Company Limited stands for the proposition that the tort of conversion may not apply to intangible property.   As such, when bringing a claim relating to theft of intangible property, it is important to plead alternative causes of action in case the tort of conversion is found not to apply.

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March 22, 2023

Fraud: Where to Begin – Part II

by Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland

In our introductory bulletin, we explored the tort of civil fraud and examined its constituent elements. We also considered the doctrine of equitable fraud which “does not necessarily connote dishonesty” and is, therefore, “less odious than common law fraud.” The objective of this second bulletin is to explore some of the other causes of action that can be (and often are) pled in conjunction with a claim for civil fraud, including conversion, conspiracy and bribery.

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March 3, 2023

Fraud: Where to Begin – Part I

by Corey Groper and Ryder Gilliland

This is the first in a series of bulletins which will discuss relevant considerations for practitioners faced with the prosecution and defence of civil fraud actions. This introductory bulletin addresses considerations at play when commencing a fraud action, including the various relevant causes of action available.  

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