A former detective with Durham Regional Police faces a lawsuit for close to $300,000 from individuals who entrusted him with pre-construction home deposits, believing it was a legitimate deal. Robert Silipo, along with five other defendants, is named in the lawsuit filed in Oshawa, Ontario, by five plaintiffs who allege that he managed their home sales transactions in 2022, including collecting $299,440 in deposits that have since disappeared.
Text messages reviewed by CBC News reveal that Silipo arranged meetings with the plaintiffs in a parking lot next to the police division in Oshawa to exchange paperwork for their purchases, adding a sense of legitimacy to the transactions due to his position as a police officer. Silipo, through his lawyer, Domenic Saverino, refutes any wrongdoing and claims to be a victim in the matter, emphasizing that the allegations against him have not been proven in court and no criminal charges have been filed.
The plaintiffs, misled into thinking they were buying pre-construction homes from a legitimate developer called Paradise Developments, were actually dealing with a separate entity falsely representing the real developer. Another defendant in the lawsuit, Moiz Kunwar, faces charges related to the alleged deposit scheme involving other buyers.
Silipo’s defense asserts that he was merely a middleman at Kunwar’s request and denies any direct involvement in inducing the purchases or benefiting unfairly from them. The ongoing legal battle highlights the complexity of the situation, with each party presenting differing accounts of their roles and responsibilities.
The lawyer representing the plaintiffs, Alex Henderson, disclosed that his clients only became suspicious of the transactions when Kunwar’s contact information was withheld until they raised concerns. Despite legal demands for deposit refunds, none of the plaintiffs have received their money back, leaving them emotionally and financially impacted by the ordeal.
The case underscores the importance of due diligence in real estate transactions and serves as a cautionary tale for individuals looking to invest in pre-construction properties.