Ontario Lawyer Accused of Stealing More Than $500,000 From Clients

An Ontario lawyer is facing multiple charges after more than half a million dollars was stolen from multiple clients, authorities say.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) announced the charges in a Feb. 24 release, accusing Marc Gauthier, 44, of Casselman, Ont., of “suspected misuse of client trust funds related to legal services.”

Casselman is a small village located about 57 kilometres east of Ottawa and about 57 kilometres southwest of Hawkesbury, Ont.

The SFO said the suspect was arrested and charged with three counts of theft over $5,000, laundering proceeds of crime, and criminal breach of trust. It added that “important contributions” to the case have been made by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada.

The SFO noted that the investigation began after OPP officers in Hawkesbury got complaints of the suspect allegedly engaging in misuse of clients funds entrusted to him for legal services. Specifically, the suspect is accused by the SFO of having “misappropriated” over $500,000 from multiple clients.

The accused was released from custody and has his next court date Feb. 24 in Ottawa at the Ontario Court of Justice.

SFO noted that the investigation is ongoing and that anyone with more information on it is encouraged to contact the OPP.

Similar Cases

There have been several recent cases of legal professionals accused of wrongdoing by authorities in Canada.

Earlier this month, the Law Society of Ontario ordered Toronto-area lawyer Patrick Glemaud to pay more than $3.5 million to former clients and took away his license to practice law, accusing him of using his trust account to facilitate fraudulent investment schemes.

The Law Society Tribunal noted that police say Glemaud’s “current whereabouts are unknown.”

Another prominent case occurred with Mississauga real estate lawyer Singa Bui, who is accused of misusing her client trust funds for a number of years amounting to over $7 million in lost funds being sought by over 20 plaintiffs.

Bui’s alleged wrongdoing traced back to 2014 when she was accused of using client money kept in trust accounts to cover business expenses as well as luxury purchases and private school tuition for her children.

In one case filed by plaintiffs Danielle and Ryan Fung, Bui was first hired in late 2023 to manage their planned purchase of a $2.175 million home in Toronto’s Riverdale neighbourhood with a closing date of Dec. 1. In addition to the deposit previously paid, Bui requested that the Fungs wire $2.155 million to cover the outstanding purchase price plus fees in November.

The Fungs were hesitant but wired the money. However, on going to obtain their keys and enter the house, the Fungs found out that the home’s seller had never been paid. Bui’s husband and law partner Nicholas Cartel told them Bui was caring for their sick child on emergency leave and gave contradictory answers about the transaction, failing to resolve the situation.

By late December 2023, the purchase fell through and the Fungs lost their deposit. They then found out Bui was recorded as no longer practicing. The Fungs say they are still trying to get back the money they transferred to Bui.

Bui was ultimately charged with 42 counts of fraud, 17 counts of criminal breach of trust, and one count for possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000 in July 2024. The case is still ongoing and none of the allegations have been proven in court.