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Art Mann
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Rob Ford offered to buy crack video,
surveillance reports suggest
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford left city hall without taking questions
about the latest round of allegations, and appeared to laugh off
questions about his alleged heroin use. (CBC)
Mayor named in conversations about obtaining
crack tape; allegations of heroin use
CBC News Posted: Dec 04, 2013 5:39 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 04, 2013 9:50 PM ET
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford made attempts to buy the video of him smoking crack and also allegedly used heroin in April of this year, newly released police wiretap documents suggest.
Police earlier this year listened to a conversation between two alleged drug dealers, in which they discussed being offered $5,000 — and a car — in exchange for a video.
Though he is not mentioned by name, police believe the men were describing an offer from Ford. The phone call took place on March 27, some two months before reports first surfaced of a video that purported to show Ford smoking crack cocaine.
Following those reports, Ford insisted no such video existed.
Also on the wiretaps, intercepted by police in the Project Brazen 2 investigation, is a conversation in the early hours of April 20, 2013, about Ford using marijuana and heroin.
The allegations are unproven and have not been tested in court.
The latest documents, including wiretaps from phone conversations, were ordered released by Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer.
Lawyers for media organizations including the CBC fought for the release of information to obtain, or ITO, documents since Alexander (Sandro) Lisi was arrested and charged with extortion in early October.
The latest release describes phone conversations among Lisi, Elena Basso, who lives at 15 Windsor Rd. where Ford was famously photographed with three young men, and various gang members in Rexdale. Ford himself does not speak on the wiretaps.
However, the mayor’s name appears frequently, mostly in relation to obtaining the mayor's missing phone and the alleged crack video that was being offered to the mayor for money.
Mohammed Siad, the owner of the video, was not satisfied with the offer of $5,000 and a car. He is heard on the wiretap telling another member of the Dixon City Bloods that he was going to see Ford and ask for $100,000 to $150,000.
The following events appear on the wiretaps from the early morning of April 20, 2013:
The documents also touch on Anthony Smith — one of the three men photographed with Ford at 15 Windsor Rd. Smith was shot and killed on March 28 and police were looking into the possibility that his cellphone was stolen at the time of his murder.
Ford staffer David Price told police that he had received an anonymous call — shortly after the first reports were published about the crack video — from someone saying Smith was killed for his phone, which contained the video, the documents say.
But the police don't think that's true and, in the documents, say Smith may have been killed in retaliation for a robbery.
Lisi was the focus of the initial drug-trafficking investigation, but the mayor appears in other surveillance reports.
At the end of October, police revealed they had obtained a copy of a video file that was consistent with what the media had reported in the spring.
READ MORE HERE
(Click graphic timeline to enlarge)
surveillance reports suggest
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford left city hall without taking questions
about the latest round of allegations, and appeared to laugh off
questions about his alleged heroin use. (CBC)
Mayor named in conversations about obtaining
crack tape; allegations of heroin use
CBC News Posted: Dec 04, 2013 5:39 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 04, 2013 9:50 PM ET
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford made attempts to buy the video of him smoking crack and also allegedly used heroin in April of this year, newly released police wiretap documents suggest.
Police earlier this year listened to a conversation between two alleged drug dealers, in which they discussed being offered $5,000 — and a car — in exchange for a video.
Though he is not mentioned by name, police believe the men were describing an offer from Ford. The phone call took place on March 27, some two months before reports first surfaced of a video that purported to show Ford smoking crack cocaine.
Following those reports, Ford insisted no such video existed.
Also on the wiretaps, intercepted by police in the Project Brazen 2 investigation, is a conversation in the early hours of April 20, 2013, about Ford using marijuana and heroin.
The allegations are unproven and have not been tested in court.
The latest documents, including wiretaps from phone conversations, were ordered released by Superior Court Justice Ian Nordheimer.
Lawyers for media organizations including the CBC fought for the release of information to obtain, or ITO, documents since Alexander (Sandro) Lisi was arrested and charged with extortion in early October.
The latest release describes phone conversations among Lisi, Elena Basso, who lives at 15 Windsor Rd. where Ford was famously photographed with three young men, and various gang members in Rexdale. Ford himself does not speak on the wiretaps.
However, the mayor’s name appears frequently, mostly in relation to obtaining the mayor's missing phone and the alleged crack video that was being offered to the mayor for money.
Mohammed Siad, the owner of the video, was not satisfied with the offer of $5,000 and a car. He is heard on the wiretap telling another member of the Dixon City Bloods that he was going to see Ford and ask for $100,000 to $150,000.
The following events appear on the wiretaps from the early morning of April 20, 2013:
- In a conversation between Elena Basso and Liban Siyad, she mentions Ford was at 15 Windsor Rd., suggesting Siyad come over to meet with the mayor.
- Siyad says he was to deliver drugs to the mayor.
- Abdullahi Harun tells Siyad on the phone that Ford is smoking "dugga" or marijuana, and has "so much pictures" of Ford doing "hezza" or heroin. Siyad asks Harun to photograph the mayor doing drugs because the photos would be worth money.
- Siyad says "that the mayor of the city Rob Ford was smoking his rocks today," and "advised he was at [15 Windsor] house and that he will put a picture up on Instagram."
- Lisi calls Siyad to say Ford is "freaking out" that he is missing his phone. Siyad says he can get it back. Lisi threatens to "put heat" on Dixon Road.
- Siyad didn't heed the threat, since he says he has photos of the mayor "on the pipe."
- Later in the wiretaps, it's alleged that Siad was kidnapped by other members of the Dixon gang and threatened over his attempts to sell the video. In the documents the police say they had no evidence to confirm the kidnapping.
The documents also touch on Anthony Smith — one of the three men photographed with Ford at 15 Windsor Rd. Smith was shot and killed on March 28 and police were looking into the possibility that his cellphone was stolen at the time of his murder.
Ford staffer David Price told police that he had received an anonymous call — shortly after the first reports were published about the crack video — from someone saying Smith was killed for his phone, which contained the video, the documents say.
But the police don't think that's true and, in the documents, say Smith may have been killed in retaliation for a robbery.
Lisi was the focus of the initial drug-trafficking investigation, but the mayor appears in other surveillance reports.
At the end of October, police revealed they had obtained a copy of a video file that was consistent with what the media had reported in the spring.
READ MORE HERE
(Click graphic timeline to enlarge)
