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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Funny Business|Alleged in Sentencing

VANCOUVER, B.C. (CN) - A Canadian lawyer swept up 10 years ago in a money laundering sting by the FBI and the RCMP wants Canada to release documents he claims may show improper conduct by the sentencing judge.

In a petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Martin Chambers wants the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to produce files on travel records by two Mounties involved in the undercover sting known as "Operation Bermuda Shorts."

Specifically, he seeks records showing Miami restaurants attended by RCMP Officers Bill Majcher and Mike Arnold, from Aug. 18, 2003, when his trial began, until his sentencing on Dec. 15, 2003.

Chambers also wants records on "any allegations made against Sergeant Majcher during that period and any investigation of those allegations."

U.S. District Judge Ungaro Benages presided over the case, according to the petition. Chambers claims that the judge's ex-husband told Chambers' attorney that he and the judge twice had dinner with the two RCMP officers during the trial.

Majcher allegedly spoke of his involvement in the case as an undercover agent during the dinners, and, Chambers claims, allegedly had an affair with the judge.

A private investigator confronted Majcher with the allegations in Hong Kong, where the former Mountie now works in finance, but Majcher claimed the relationship developed after the trial, according to Chambers' complaint.

Majcher told the private investigator that a "law enforcement concern" developed after Chambers "reached out" to a person of interest in a murder investigation, according to the complaint.

"It is believed this is the law enforcement concern referred to as a reason for refusing the treaty transfer of the Petitioner back to Canada," the petition states. "If so, the law enforcement concern is likely no more than a rumour and stale-dated."

Majcher left the RCMP after being suspended and investigated for unspecified reasons and was allowed to retire "without any allegation of misconduct," the petition states.

Chambers wants to see documents.

He is represented by John Conroy.

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