Difference between revisions of "Mark Zirkind"
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(Correct conviction dates, judge-alone trial and attributed family relationships from court records) |
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| − | {{short description|Canadian | + | {{short description|Canadian convicted of trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime}} |
{{Infobox person | {{Infobox person | ||
| name = Mark Zirkind | | name = Mark Zirkind | ||
| nationality = Canadian | | nationality = Canadian | ||
| − | + | | known_for = Conviction for trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime | |
| − | | known_for = Conviction for | + | | criminal_charge = Trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime |
| − | | criminal_charge = | + | | criminal_penalty = 4 years imprisonment (2017, upheld on appeal 2019) |
| − | | criminal_penalty = 4 years imprisonment ( | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Template:Chabad sidebar}} | {{Template:Chabad sidebar}} | ||
| − | '''Mark Zirkind''' is a | + | '''Mark Zirkind''' is a Montreal man convicted in Ontario of trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime. The Ontario Court of Appeal described him as an “orthodox Lubavitch Jew”.<ref name="ONCA2019">Ontario Court of Appeal, [https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2019/2019ONCA0401.htm R. v. Zirkind, 2019 ONCA 401], 16 May 2019, paras. 1–14, 25 and 29–33.</ref> |
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== Family and Chabad connections == | == Family and Chabad connections == | ||
| − | + | In its sentencing letter concerning [[Zalman Zirkind|Zalmund (Zalman) Zirkind]] in the separate New York case, the US government identified Mark as the defendant's brother, referring to Mark's Canadian conviction and four-year sentence. This relationship was stated by the prosecution, not determined by the Ontario court.<ref name="Government178">[https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.540420/gov.uscourts.nysd.540420.178.0.pdf Government sentencing letter, 12 January 2021], ''United States v. Bomba et al.'', 1:19-cr-00463 (S.D.N.Y.), Document 178.</ref> [[Benzion Zirkind]] is identified as Zalmund's nephew by both the government and his own lawyer. Benzion's lawyer referred to his father's arrest but did not name his father; that filing does not establish that Mark is Benzion's father.<ref name="Defence206">[https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.nysd.540663/gov.uscourts.nysd.540663.206.0.pdf Defence sentencing memorandum, filed 23 January 2021], ''United States v. Bomba et al.'', 1:19-cr-00463 (S.D.N.Y.), Document 206.</ref> | |
== Criminal activities and sentencing == | == Criminal activities and sentencing == | ||
| − | + | On 23 February 2014 Zirkind met Justin Soon at Yorkdale Mall after flying from Montreal to Toronto. Later that night the Ontario Provincial Police stopped his rental car travelling east on Highway 401, arrested him and seized $1,136,555. The agreed statement of facts stipulated that $250,170 received from Soon was derived from cocaine trafficking. The bags, cash and several surfaces in the car tested positive for cocaine.<ref name="ONCA2019" /> | |
| + | |||
| + | At trial Zirkind said he believed the money was “Shoah Gelt”, belonging to Jews in Europe or Asia who feared another Holocaust, and that he was transporting it at the request of “Avrum Reish” as a mitzvah. He admitted making three or four previous trips transporting money from Toronto to Montreal. The trial judge rejected his account. Following a judge-alone trial before Justice Todd Ducharme, convictions were entered on 16 January 2017; on 29 June 2017 he was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. On 16 May 2019 the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the conviction appeal, granted leave to appeal sentence but dismissed that appeal too. It found the record supported the trial judge's conclusion that Zirkind acted for profit and knew he was transporting criminal proceeds.<ref name="ONCA2019" /> | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| − | [[Zalman Zirkind]] | + | *[[Zalman Zirkind]] |
| − | [[Benzion Zirkind]] | + | *[[Benzion Zirkind]] |
| − | [[Colel Chabad Lubavitch Foundation of Israel]] | + | *[[Colel Chabad Lubavitch Foundation of Israel]] |
| − | [[Chabad-Lubavitch]] | + | *[[Chabad-Lubavitch]] |
== References == | == References == | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
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[[Category:Canadian criminals]] | [[Category:Canadian criminals]] | ||
[[Category:Money launderers]] | [[Category:Money launderers]] | ||
[[Category:Convicted criminals]] | [[Category:Convicted criminals]] | ||
[[Category:2014 crimes in Canada]] | [[Category:2014 crimes in Canada]] | ||
Latest revision as of 09:01, 6 November 2026
Canadian convicted of trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime
| Mark Zirkind
| |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Known for | Conviction for trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime |
Mark Zirkind is a Montreal man convicted in Ontario of trafficking in and possession of property obtained by crime. The Ontario Court of Appeal described him as an “orthodox Lubavitch Jew”.[1]
Family and Chabad connections
In its sentencing letter concerning Zalmund (Zalman) Zirkind in the separate New York case, the US government identified Mark as the defendant's brother, referring to Mark's Canadian conviction and four-year sentence. This relationship was stated by the prosecution, not determined by the Ontario court.[2] Benzion Zirkind is identified as Zalmund's nephew by both the government and his own lawyer. Benzion's lawyer referred to his father's arrest but did not name his father; that filing does not establish that Mark is Benzion's father.[3]
Criminal activities and sentencing
On 23 February 2014 Zirkind met Justin Soon at Yorkdale Mall after flying from Montreal to Toronto. Later that night the Ontario Provincial Police stopped his rental car travelling east on Highway 401, arrested him and seized $1,136,555. The agreed statement of facts stipulated that $250,170 received from Soon was derived from cocaine trafficking. The bags, cash and several surfaces in the car tested positive for cocaine.[1]
At trial Zirkind said he believed the money was “Shoah Gelt”, belonging to Jews in Europe or Asia who feared another Holocaust, and that he was transporting it at the request of “Avrum Reish” as a mitzvah. He admitted making three or four previous trips transporting money from Toronto to Montreal. The trial judge rejected his account. Following a judge-alone trial before Justice Todd Ducharme, convictions were entered on 16 January 2017; on 29 June 2017 he was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. On 16 May 2019 the Ontario Court of Appeal dismissed the conviction appeal, granted leave to appeal sentence but dismissed that appeal too. It found the record supported the trial judge's conclusion that Zirkind acted for profit and knew he was transporting criminal proceeds.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ontario Court of Appeal, R. v. Zirkind, 2019 ONCA 401, 16 May 2019, paras. 1–14, 25 and 29–33.
- ↑ Government sentencing letter, 12 January 2021, United States v. Bomba et al., 1:19-cr-00463 (S.D.N.Y.), Document 178.
- ↑ Defence sentencing memorandum, filed 23 January 2021, United States v. Bomba et al., 1:19-cr-00463 (S.D.N.Y.), Document 206.