Ottawa convenience store owners charged with extortion
Last Updated: Friday, April 11, 2008 | 3:22 PM ET
CBC News
An Ottawa couple was charged with extortion Friday after a year-long investigation by the Ottawa Police Service.
Police said Ali Karimi and wife Nava Vosough, owners of a chain of Centretown convenience stores, falsely accused two former employees of theft.
According to police, the employees, two male international students, age 24 and 38, respectively, were forced under duress to pay money to the couple. Police allege the couple told the employees they would call immigration officers and the police if the two men did not pay them the money.
There were two other attempts at extortion, police said, involving a relative of one of the employees and another former employee.
Ali Karimi, 42, has been charged with two counts each of extortion, criminal harassment, theft over $5,000 and forcible confinement, as well as other related crimes.
Nava Vosough, 29, was charged with two counts each of extortion, criminal harassment and theft over $5,000, as well as three counts of intimidation and other related crimes, including assault.
Police said Friday their investigation of the couple began April 29, 2007, and concluded February 15, 2008. Police say they suspect there may be additional victims of extortion and an investigation into those incidents is ongoing.
Share Tools
Latest Ottawa News Headlines
- Injured soldiers rehab at Calabogie ski hill
- The Calabogie Peaks ski resort is playing host to a group of Canadian soldiers working to keep physical while they recover from serious injuries. more »
- Ottawa smoking ban passed at committee
- Members of the community and protective services committee voted in favour of the new, updated Ottawa smoking ban that prohibits lighting up at parks, beaches and on patios. more »
- 2 NDP MPs back final Commons vote to kill gun registry
- Two NDP MPs broke party ranks to vote with the government in the final House of Commons vote on scrapping the long-gun registry. more »
- Nortel collapse linked to hacking attack
- A former systems security adviser to Nortel Networks says he has no doubt that extensive cyber attacks on the technology company contributed to its downfall. more »
Top News Headlines
- Tories move to curb 'bogus' refugees
- The Conservative government is poised to change the refugee system yet again in an attempt to deter what it considers "bogus" claimants, CBC News has learned. more »
- Children of immigrants challenged at school, home
- By 2016, foreign-born youth and Canadian-born youth from immigrant families will make up a quarter of the country's population, according to predictions by the Canadian Council on Social Development. As their numbers grow, more attention is being paid to their successes and failures. more »
- 2 NDP MPs back final Commons vote to kill gun registry
- Two NDP MPs broke party ranks to vote with the government in the final House of Commons vote on scrapping the long-gun registry. more »
- B.C. house party trial hears from tearful teens
- Two teenagers cried as they testified at the trial of a B.C. woman who was charged after a teen died while her son was hosting a party at her house in 2008. more »
Most Viewed/Commented
- Unlicensed Ottawa children's taxi investigated
- Ottawa smoking ban passed at committee
- Ontario police help Ottawa predator probe
- Drummond report on Ontario calls for cutbacks
- Hundreds mourn Carleton suicide victim
- Report on slashing Ontario deficit due Feb. 15
- Ottawa men charged after pellet gun incident
- Ottawa high school student found
- McGuinty backs Wi-Fi in schools
