A former chief of staff in the Prime Ministers office Norman Spector, publisher,  journalist, has a PHD says; The owner of Trudeau’s Tofino beach house has links to a company in a tax haven and to another that lobbied PMO to legalize cannabis. PMO confirmed that JT paid for the rental but would not say how much.

The luxurious home that Justin Trudeau and his family occupied last week in British Columbia is owned by a Calgary woman married to a businessman who has been linked to companies that were established in a tax haven, our office has found. investigation.

The luxurious home that Justin Trudeau and his family occupied last week in British Columbia is owned by a Calgary woman married to a businessman who has been linked to companies that were established in a tax haven, our office has found. investigation. This businessman, James McRoberts, also founded a company which registered in 2017 to lobby for procannabis, in particular with the cabinet of Justin Trudeau.

The name of James McRoberts, husband of Merrin McRoberts (the owner of Tofino’s house), appears in the Paradise Papers list, disclosed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in 2017. He was a shareholder in two companies, PayGea Limited and RX Payments Limited, incorporated in Malta from 2005, a tax haven in the Mediterranean. The firms specialize in internet payment systems.

The man who ran RX Payments, Nathan Jacobson, was convicted in 2008 in the United States for conspiracy to launder money. Note that the Paradise Papers should not be confused with the Pandora Papers which were disclosed this week by the Consortium, and which also reveal a list of individuals and companies involved in tax evasion activities.

Justin Trudeau admitted on Wednesday that he made a mistake while staying in Tofino last week. Prime Minister Trudeau has been the subject of fierce criticism since last week for choosing to spend a family vacation in an opulent Tofino home, rather than participate in the activities of the first-ever National Truth Day. and reconciliation, dedicated to Indigenous people.

In a press conference on Wednesday, he admitted that he had made a mistake while staying in this villa. Nestled on the Pacific Rim, the tastefully appointed home is currently on sale for $ 18.7 million. In the sales documents, Mme McRoberts is identified as a Calgary businesswoman.

Moved to London

According to our research, she has been living in London since early 2020 with her husband, James. The couple are very discreet on the internet. The only photo that we have been able to find of Mr. McRoberts is that of his passage in parliamentary committee in Quebec, in 2017, when he came to promote an online payment platform for cannabis.

Mr. McRoberts is a businessman who has been very active in Canada. He has been involved in the launch of companies related to online sales systems. Called to react, Mr. Trudeau’s office finally confirmed that the Prime Minister had paid for his stay and that of his family in Tofino’s house, after our Bureau of Investigation insisted on obtaining the information. However, it was not possible to obtain the sum disbursed by Mr. Trudeau. The stay was nevertheless approved by the Federal Ethics Commissioner.

Who is James McRoberts

James McRoberts, during his time in parliamentary committee in Quebec, in 2017.

Of British origin, Mr. McRoberts is presented as an e-commerce consultant.
He has launched or acquired several businesses in Canada, many of which specialize in online payments.
In general, he quickly withdraws from his businesses, leaving it to others to manage them. The home that hosted the Trudeaus in British Columbia offers unparalleled luxury and comfort.

Nicknamed the Surfers’ Paradise, the $ 18.7M home offers extraordinary views of the Pacific.
Carefully fitted out, it has three annexes, including a “comfortable tree house for children”.
In total, it has six bedrooms and seven full bathrooms. Payment for controversial activities Companies linked to James McRoberts have been used to offer payment services for controversial activities that the big internet payment platforms do not want to associate with.

According to a judgment of the Superior Court of Quebec dated 2010, Paygea would have been used in particular by two Montrealers to carry out the online sale of “products made in China, in particular copies of television series on DVD, designer clothes or copies of watches from reputable brands ”.

The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on Ms McRoberts’ husband appearing in the Paradise Papers.

Who is James McRoberts

James McRoberts, during his time in parliamentary committee in Quebec, in 2017. Of British origin, Mr. McRoberts is presented as an e-commerce consultant.
He has launched or acquired several businesses in Canada, many of which specialize in online payments.
In general, he quickly withdraws from his businesses, leaving it to others to manage them.

The home that hosted the Trudeaus in British Columbia offers unparalleled luxury and comfort. Nicknamed the Surfers’ Paradise, the $ 18.7M home offers extraordinary views of the Pacific. Carefully fitted out, it has three annexes, including a “comfortable tree house for children”. In total, it has six bedrooms and seven full bathrooms. Payment for controversial activities Companies linked to James McRoberts have been used to offer payment services for controversial activities that the big internet payment platforms do not want to associate with.

According to a judgment of the Superior Court of Quebec dated 2010, Paygea would have been used in particular by two Montrealers to carry out the online sale of “products made in China, in particular copies of television series on DVD, designer clothes or copies of watches from reputable brands ”.

In this judgment, the two Montrealers were forced to pay more than $ 1 million to Paygea because the products sold were not delivered. Customers are said to have used their credit cards to purchase them. The money would have been paid by Visa or MasterCard to Paygea, who would then have transferred it to the firms of the two Montrealers.

As the goods were not delivered, Paygea had to bear the cost of the reimbursement.
In a proceeding in the United States in 2012, Paygea also appears as a payment facilitator for a firm linked to the owner of Brazzers, a pornographic website. According to the Israeli financial newspaper Globes, Paygea is said to have left Israel in 2012, having left several hundred thousand dollars in debt with suppliers. A former company executive, Shlomi Levy, is quoted in the article as saying that the firm allows payments to soft porn.

Illegal drugs

In the case of RX Payments, US authorities alleged in a 2006 lawsuit that the firm was used to make payments related to the illegal sale of prescription drugs online.
The then president of RX Payments, Nathan Jacobson, admitted to conspiring to do money laundering and pleaded guilty to one count in the case. Nathan Jacobson, who appears in the Paradise Papers as the legal representative of Paygea and RX Payments, later sued his civil lawyer saying he was misrepresented.

The Paradise Papers in brief
Leak made public in 2017 by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)
Concerns 13.5 million confidential documents offshore, notably from the Bermuda law firm Appleby Splashed into several famous figures around the world, including the Queen of England and, in Canada, liberal money maker Stephen Bronfman.