Latest from Farrah Merali
Why detectives suspect foul play in disappearance of GTA lawyer accused of mortgage fraud
It's been seven weeks since Isabella Dan has been seen. Now, detectives on the case believe she's met foul play. CBC News has uncovered new details about the last time she was seen, and complaints about her professional conduct to the Law Society of Ontario.
Mystery swirls around sudden disappearance of Toronto-area lawyer
Multimillion-dollar lawsuits, an abandoned luxury SUV and a sudden lack of communication are all parts of a mystery police are trying to unravel in the disappearance of a Toronto-area lawyer. Isabella Dan, 53, hasn’t been seen in almost three weeks, leaving her friends and police stumped as to her whereabouts.
CBC Investigates
The anatomy of a stolen home — and how 3 suspects got caught
CBC News has learned exclusive details behind an alleged title fraud in January that led to three arrests. The Scarborough home was actually sold and the funds transferred into the alleged fraudster's account, but a lawyer involved became suspicious and took action.
Ontario regulator warns real estate agents to watch for signs of fraudulent home sales
The body that regulates Ontario's 100,000 real estate agents and brokers is urging them to be more vigilant when verifying the identity of a client, amid a wave of fraudulent home sales and mortgages in the Toronto area.
CBC Investigates
6 plaintiffs from Toronto's Chinese community accuse broker of mortgage fraud
Tina Li is accusing her former friend of defrauding her out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and she's not alone — court documents show five other suits have been filed against the same mortgage broker. The allegations come amid a rise in mortgage fraud.
CBC Investigates
Couple whose Toronto home sold without their knowledge says systems failed to protect them
Nearly a year after discovering something was wrong with their property, a couple is sounding the alarm on how they say current identification requirements in real-estate transactions are failing to protect Ontario homeowners from having their houses sold without their knowledge.
What we know about 'stand-ins' used by organized crime to sell homes without owner's knowledge
The same fraudulent driver's licence was used to rent two Toronto homes that organized crime tried to sell without the homeowner's knowledge, according to a private investigator working on the cases.
How organized crime has mortgaged or sold at least 30 GTA homes without owners' knowledge
CBC Toronto has learned a handful of organized crime groups are behind these real-estate frauds — in which at least 30 homes in the Greater Toronto Area have either been sold or mortgaged without the real owners' knowledge. Those revelations come from a private investigation firm working for a title insurance company to try and get to the bottom of the scams, which are costing insurers millions in claims.
It's happened again. 2nd Toronto home listed for sale without homeowner's knowledge
When Melissa Walsh’s great uncle moved into a long-term care home in late 2021 just before his 95th birthday, her family decided to rent out the east end Toronto home he’s owned since the 1970s to help pay his expenses. Instead, It turned into a "real-estate nightmare."
Rising interest rates, falling sales pushing some investors out of Toronto's condo market
Rising interest rates coupled with the flattening of average sales prices since March mean some who invested in new condo builds are facing an increased financial burden. Some analysts are concerned about the ripple effects, particularly on supply.