Bondfield's financing for St. Michael's project meant it wouldn't receive any taxpayer support from the public-private partnership until after the patient-care tower was finished.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail. }
Yet, on May 30, just nine days after submitting his bid, Mr. Aquino e-mailed his brother and father to let them know Bondfield had the lowest price: We are low on St. Mikes.. But when a team of evaluators first scored the bidders, they put Bondfield in fourth place a ranking that, if allowed to stand, would eliminate the company from the race. This article was published more than 1 year ago. He said all four members of Mr. Georgious committee directed his team to rescore the bidders. In the e-mail exchanges shown at top, a Bondfield staffer tells Mr. Aquino he has found turf for the backyard at Mr. Georgious Toronto home, at bottom right in satellite view, with the house at street view at bottom left.Photos: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail, Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA FSA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community. In March, Justice Bernadette Dietrich ruled that many of those payments, but not all, were transfers under value which means they were made for the purpose of defrauding or evading creditors. color: #38a6c1;
The Pickering parking garage contract was awarded on a lump-sum basis, and therefore, any extra costs should be born by Bondfield, not Metrolinx, Ms. Aikins said. .tds-button2 .tdm-btn-text,
Mr. Georgiou replied three hours later, saying he spoke with Mr. Mendonca, who he said had agreed to hang in. He explained that Mr. Mendonca felt trapped because work on the project had come to a standstill, and that he was going to get trashed at the upcoming St. Michaels board meeting. googletag.defineSlot('/1003600/ocn300x250', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1642433266467-0').addService(googletag.pubads());
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The letter it sent him cited his involvement in the false-invoice scheme, as well as his failure to disclose his work for Mr. Aquinos companies. Mr. Aquino had also provided Mr. Georgiou with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. $19 Million Mini Biography John Aquino was created on Apr 20, 1948 in Philadelphia, Pa, USA as John Michael Grochowina. The articles addressed the connection between the appellant and its president, John Aquino, with Vas Georgiou, a senior executive at SMH who was on the committee that awarded the construction contract to the appellant. For six years, The Globe investigated the relationship between Bondfield and Torontos St. Michaels Hospital.
}
More than $1-billion worth of Bondfields projects were guaranteed by Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd., including the St. Michaels project, through construction surety bonds. John Bondfield to the Commissioners, 3 October 1778. Whatever pressure Mr. Aquino was contemplating, nothing came of it. Charges against John Aquino also include break-and-enter, uttering threats .td-post-small-box a:hover,
The Globe is not naming these sources because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the procurement. body .td_block_list_menu li.current-menu-ancestor > a,
In an e-mailed statement to The Globe and Mail he said he could not provide a detailed comment while the matter was under investigation. .td_block_exchange .td-exchange-header:before,
Despite his unceremonious exit, Mr. Georgiou acted as a sort of liaison between Mr. Aquino and Mr. Mendonca. var td_ajax_url="https:\/\/www.ontarioconstructionnews.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php?td_theme_name=Newspaper&v=12.2"; The Globe submitted more than 1,700 records. On July 23, 2014, the evaluators tasked with reviewing the design submissions of the bidders presented their scores to the steering committee of four senior officials, including Mr. Georgiou. A special committee of the board of Infrastructure Ontario went so far as to conclude that the St. Michael Keen, who is now vice-president of facilities at St. Michaels, but at the time was one of the evaluators, was also questioned by Zurichs lawyers.
Now, thousands of unsealed e-mails and transcripts show alleged kickbacks between former executives over the hospital expansion project. .td_block_template_1 .td-related-title,
}
Mr. Georgiou had a heated argument with Mr. Toigo, which one witness described as a raised voice discussion.. CLEARWAY HAULAGE, MMC GENERAL .
(1979) as Deputy Sheriff Her extensive experience as a . }
Mr. Georgious lawyer said her client denies any wrongdoing. "; A warren of crowded hallways with low-hanging ceilings, much of the facility belies the hospitals world-class reputation for research and care. .td-mobile-content .current-category-ancestor > a,
this.header_color = '';
.wpb_text_column blockquote p,
.mce-content-body blockquote p,
.td-author-name a:hover,
The articles described an undisclosed commercial connection between the company's top executive, John Aquino, and a senior hospital executive, Vas Georgiou, who the paper said had admitted in. Bondfield sued the Globe. .tds-progress-bar1 .tdm-progress-bar:after,
However, in his e-mailed statement to The Globe he said he never received cash or any other undisclosed payments from Mr. Aquino or anyone else., The reason cash payments were being raised in Mr. Aquinos examination, was because of an e-mail he sent to Mr. Georgiou in 2017. }
.td_block_template_5 .td-block-title > *,
}
More than 10,000 pages of recently unsealed court documents show that dealings between a senior Toronto hospital executive and a construction company chief executive officer were far more extensive than reported so far, and the pair went to great lengths to conceal them. .td-search-query,
var td_ad_background_click_link=""; Bondfield, represented by the team at Osler, filed a notice of libel and later launched a $125-million defamation lawsuit against The Globe, its publisher and three Globe reporters. In his examination for discovery, Mr. Aquino refused, on the advice of his lawyers, to answer questions about his direction to record the costs to the GO parking garage. Mr. Aquino replied, at 11:10 p.m., Good. JOHN AQUINO, MARCO CARUSO, GIUSEPPE ANASTASIO a.k.a. To end the impasse, Infrastructure Ontario and St. Michaels took unprecedented steps, with the CEOs of both agencies exchanging e-mails and involving their boards. "; Domenic Dipede, Bondfield controller at the time, corresponds with a Potentia shareholder about Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou investing in the solar company. Bondfield also launched a public relations campaign with clients, suppliers and subcontractors to assure them nothing improper had taken place with the St. Michaels procurement. Osler declined to say how much it was paid by Bondfield. I am with Vas. An Ontario Superior Court judge found that those funds were illegitimately transferred to subcontractors for services that were never delivered. The Bondfield group is the general contractor on a number of large scale infrastructure and other construction projects in Ontario. var td_email_user_incorrect="Email or username incorrect! delete tdLocalCache.data[resource_id];
Previous post There is no more story. background: -moz-linear-gradient(top, rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7) 100%);
The company was in big trouble. The evaluators gave the company a design score of 70.74 per cent only a hair above the 70-per-cent threshold for disqualification. That same 2013 e-mail also raises questions about who was ultimately paying for the work on Mr. Georgious home. The author of the letters, which were unsigned, urged the reporters to look into the many ties between Mr. Georgiou and Mr. Aquino, and the awarding of the St. Michaels contract. background-color: #38a6c1;
Andy Pattenden confirmed in an email to Ontario Construction News (OCN) on Monday. if ( user_agent.indexOf("android") > -1 ) {
But on Sept. 15, 2015, he was up against an ancient and immovable force: the Jewish high holidays. #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current,
Funding will go By Susanna McLeod
Yesterday arrived from Edenton the Sloop Sally Cap Norton which place he left the 6th June. .tds-social3 .tdm-social-item {
If the insurance giant is successful, it raises questions about who will ultimately pay for the redevelopment, which is 3 years behind schedule and has left the hospital with an unfinished project in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. .td-subfooter-menu li a:hover,
On Oct. 24, 2015, Mr. Aquino also tried, unsuccessfully, to get a Bondfield employee, who was married to a Toronto Star journalist, to persuade The Star to interview him in an effort to counter attack The Globe. .td_outlined_btn:hover {
Architect Ontario Construction News staff writer
The shipper promised his family a castle in the mid-1800s, and he was determined to follow through. this.block_type = 1; //block type id (1-234 etc)
235. Canadian singing legend, Andy Kim and his nine-piece band headlined the gala, providing the . As part of that proceeding, lawyers for Zurich examined Steven Aquino, under oath, in 2020. .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:before {
Mr. Aquino made good on his promise to hire a libel lawyer, though, turning to one of Canadas premier law firms, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Mr. Marafioti led the hospitals capital redevelopment program, but in its statement to The Globe, Sunnybrook said Mr. Marafioti was not part of the team that evaluated bidders. tdLocalCache = {
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};
(Because the hospital had added scope to the project as the bidding process progressed, it had taken the unusual step of letting bidders know its target price was about $301-million.) .td-search-background:before {
"; }
#bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-started-in a:hover,
}
this.td_filter_value = ''; //current live filter value
Globe stories in 2015 and 2016 about Mr. Georgiou and Mr. Aquino detailed how they were involved in multiple businesses together, including a commercial real estate company and a bottled water venture, when Mr. Georgiou was supposed to be acting as a neutral evaluator of bidders. Bondfields statement of claim alleged The Globe article had the clear inference that the contract was awarded because of corruption. }
As for St. Michaels, the hospital settled its wrongful dismissal lawsuit with Mr. Georgiou. Zurich determined that the two men communicated secretly throughout the hospital bidding process. (Mr. Georgiou was also suing St. Michaels for wrongful dismissal. On Feb. 14, 2017, the two men exchanged e-mails about a proposed casino development in Vancouver that one of Mr. Aquinos neighbours was involved in financing. He even attended a dinner with Mr. Aquino, Mr. Mendonca and Steven Muzzo, the owner of Ozz Electric, one of Bondfields irate subcontractors, to try to mediate a resolution. Aquino was also charged with breaking and entering after allegedly entering the companys headquarters in April with the intent to steal documents, Pattenden said in an e-mailed statement to the newspaper, which reported that neither Aquino nor his lawyer have responded to requests for comment. A pedestrian passes the St. Michael's Hospital emergency entrance this past fall. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Vitalii's connections and jobs at similar companies.
.td-grid-style-4 .entry-title
The company wouldnt receive anything from taxpayers until it hit its first milestone the completion of the patient-care tower. a,
But without Mr. Toigos support, the contract couldnt be awarded. The result was a $125-million libel lawsuit from the construction company. #bbpress-forums .bbp-forums-list li a:hover,
32 followers 30 connections. this.td_current_page = 1; //
Steven Aquino replied that, yes, his brother told him he had paid Mr. Marafioti in connection with Bondfield's work at Sunnybrook. Bondfield is highly regarded in many sectors. Mr. Aquino was fired from Bondfield in 2018 by his younger brother Steven Aquino, who supplanted him as president. Sam Ciccolini, one of the founders of Masters Insurance Ltd. and a prominent Conservative party backer in Vaughan, responded to the e-mailed statement: I think a legal action should be filed against the Globe and let them know that the Aquinos are no pushovers and the Ciccolinis will be right beside them to help.. LUCIA CANDERLE, DOMINIC DIPEDE, 2483251 ONTARIO CORP. a.k.a. window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};
As the founder of Bondfield Construction, Ralph built a construction company from one employee to reach Canada's top 10 constructors.
}
You have entered an incorrect email address! this.is_ajax_running = false;
Photos: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail, Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, i-cubed, USDA FSA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community. Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. Mr. Aquino recently completed his term as Chair of the OGCA, and demonstrated great leadership throughout the past year in supporting issues on behalf of all members, in many instances putting his company's interests on the line to support our members.
border-color: #38a6c1;
But on Sept. 15, 2015, he was up against an ancient. Alessandra Aquino, B. ENG, MBA, Vice President of Project Development. .widgettitle,
exist: function (resource_id) {
Mr. Toigos opposition had serious implications. Mr. Georgiou worked at Infrastructure Ontario from 2006 until he was dismissed in 2012, after he was implicated in a false invoice scheme at Torontos York University. VICE-PRESIDENT & SECRETARY Learn More David Petrie VP OPERATIONS Learn More Kevin Hicks, CPA, CMA CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Learn More Ajith Lokuge, B.Sc. Save the date for our 62nd annual Conference and Expo. .tds-button6:after,
.td-rating-bar-wrap div,
[email protected]. Last week, The Globe published a story about the unsealed records evidence that was compiled by Zurich Insurance Company Ltd., the multinational company that issued more than $1-billion in construction surety bonds to Bondfield. When The Globe published more stories, including a piece about both mens ties to GP8 Sportwater, Bondfield sued over those as well.
.td-post-category:hover,
Following an in-depth peer review process, the 2022 Lexpert Special Edition: Canada's Leading Litigation Lawyers guide recognizes 15 Lenczner Slaght lawyers for their extensive courtroom experience and subject-matter expertise. }
.td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-display-option:hover,
.tdm_block_column_content:hover .tdm-col-content-title-url .tdm-title,
On Oct. 15, 2018, Mr. Aquino was fired by his younger brother, Steven Aquino, who had supplanted him as CEO in the months leading up to his termination., Ontario contractors massive surety default largest in Canadian history says broker. JOHN AQUINO
[email protected] 416.626.1700 x 515 416.667.8422 Colliers International Bondfield Construction Company Member Type: Industrial Specialist Member Type: Associate Member. In 2014 in the middle of the St. Michaels procurement Bondfields then controller, Domenic Dipede, exchanged e-mails with another Potentia shareholder, Ted Manziaris, about Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou investing. Mr. Aquino said Mr. Georgiou didnt do anything to earn the remaining $450,000, and he had no explanation for the spreadsheet that indicated he owed Mr. Georgiou $500,000. .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more,
He didnt pay because he was a friend and a client, he said. The monitor and . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Aquino, a former Ontario General Contractors Association chair, has been charged with two counts of assault with a weapon; break and enter; and four counts of uttering threats. }
The corporate entities sought to vary the Mareva on the basis that Mr. Aquino had no ongoing ownership interest over certain assets subject to the Order. color: #38a6c1;
})();
After Mr. Georgiou joined the hospital, the first hurdle Bondfield had to clear was the Request for Qualifications, or RFQ. SafetyCo Partners, a new national occupational health and safety company, aims to change the face of safety consulting in Canada Mark Buckshon has published regional construction news publications in Ontario since 1989. .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_controls_playlist_wrapper,
Contact us:
[email protected], 2023 26750547 Ontario Ltd., Ontario Construction News, 1554 Carling Ave. Suite 57, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7M4 (888) 627-8717 ext 114. A pedestrian passes the St. Michael's Hospital emergency entrance this past fall. But behind the scenes, e-mails show, he continued to act as an aide to Mr. Aquino a whisperer who could help him navigate the politics of the hospital. As for the project itself, St. Michaels has opened six floors of the new tower for patient care, as well as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. 3. Steven Aquino replied that, yes, his brother told him he had paid Mr. Marafioti in connection with Bondfields work at Sunnybrook. "@id": "https://www.ontarioconstructionnews.com/york-regional-police-charge-former-bondfield-ceo-john-aquino-with-assault-uttering-threats-globe-and-mail/",
var td_user_incorrect="Username incorrect! But sensitive and confidential bidding information continued to flow Mr. Aquinos way. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the evidence unearthed by Zurich contains a hint about what Mr. Georgiou received. Aquino, 48, was arrested and charged on Sept. 23, York Regional Police (YRP) Staff Sgt. But a month before St. Michaels even announced Mr. Georgious appointment publicly in January, 2013, celebrations had begun in Bondfields head office. Mr. Georgious lawyer has said her client denies any wrongdoing. body .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-comments-count,
Only Infrastructure Ontario knew those figures, and even he hadnt been told at that point, he said. When asked by Zurichs lawyers how he had such detailed information about a confidential meeting only a day after the argument, Mr. Aquino said he couldnt recall precisely who told him. The court documents contain no other references to StrategyCorp in the days leading up to Bondfields lawsuit against The Globe. In another e-mail, Mr. Aquino notes he is with Mr. Georgiou late one evening as a Bondfield employee prepares the companys submission for the hospital project. .td-category-title-holder .td-page-title {
.tds-button5:hover .tdm-btn-text,
For its part, Bondfield produced 56 records. .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a:after,
The Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) released its2022 Municipal Benchmarking Study last week, examining how local development processes, approvals, and Ontario Construction News staff writer
background: -webkit-gradient(left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.8)), color-stop(100%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7)));
Follow Greg McArthur on Twitter: @McarthurGregOpens in a new windowFollow Karen Howlett on Twitter: @kahowlettOpens in a new window. }
Four months later, in July, Mr. Georgiou and Mr. Aquino were again concerned about Mr. Mendonca jumping ship.
Sign up today. I dont know if it was feedback I was getting from Vas or from my consultants.. In addition to $2-million in proceeds that allegedly flowed from the phony companies to Mr. Anastasio, forensic auditors also allege they have traced $5.2-million that flowed to Mr. Aquino from 2014 to 2019, court records show. "position": 3,
.wpb_default:hover,
.archive .widget_archive .current a,
EllisDons design was considered non-compliant and it was disqualified. .tdm_block_list .tdm-list-item i,
cite a:hover,
That phase is designed to narrow the potential bidders down to a shortlist of the three top candidates. },
input[type=submit]:hover,
.td_block_template_5 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item,
In its summary of key findings, the special committee declared that the procurement was not compromised. var td_retype_pass_incorrect="Retyped Pass incorrect! St. Michaels Hospital, founded in 1892 with a mission of treating Torontos poor and vulnerable, long ago outgrew the space it occupies. Whats more, it said its investigators which consisted of a team from Toronto law firm Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and forensic auditors from Cohen Hamilton Steger & Co. Inc. had found no evidence of any attempt to inappropriately influence the procurement. Infrastructure Ontario paid Blakes $1.4-million for its work on the report. Mr. Ciccolini had fundraised for former federal Conservative cabinet minister Julian Fantino, and Masters brokered some of the surety bond contracts that Zurich is now saddled with as a result of Bondfields collapse. And falter it did. No one person could materially influence or direct the outcome of the procurement process, he has argued in court filings. Tel: 905-458-1313 ext. Other evidence uncovered by Zurich, the company alleges, shows that Mr. Aquino provided Mr. Georgiou with shares in businesses he owned. On July 27, Mr. Georgiou reached out to Mr. Aquino: More importantly we need to connect on Mike and the BS going on down there and what we do to keep him., The next day, Mr. Aquino replied: I am worried about Smooth., Mr. Mendonca declined to answer a list of questions from The Globe about why he continued to engage with Mr. Georgiou after he was fired. In its statement, Unity Health characterized Zurichs lawsuit as an attempt to get out of its obligations under the surety bonds, and noted that the healthcare network has countersued the insurer. .block-title > a,
You can receive a daily update of certificates and notices published in Ontario Construction News, sent around 7:30 a.m. each morning. .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover,
About three months later, that firm declared it believed Bondfields bid was compliant and could proceed. var tdBlockNonce="0e942a88e7"; The Globe quoted Steven Aquinos testimony in a letter to Mr. Marafioti, but he did not address it in his response. Infrastructure Ontario launched an investigation of his dealings with Vas Georgiou.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail. Mr. Aquino wanted to know: Were any clues about his ties to Mr. Georgiou contained in public records? The bulk of that work was awarded during the hospitals redevelopment in the mid-2000s, when Bondfield expanded the emergency department and worked on several research labs. googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();
A bousta, or busta, is an Italian slang term often used to describe cash in an envelope. In the meantime, our focus will remain on what has been our priority for more than 130 years and what matters even more right now caring for those who need us most during this unprecedented pandemic, she said. .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container {
Bondfield's information was based on rumors and the unfounded assumption that France and Spain would undertake combined operations in the West Indies in 1780. By late 2012, the Ontario government had approved a major redevelopment, including a brand new 17-floor patient-care tower. .td_block_template_4 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item,
}
}
Mr. Georgiou also was supplied with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. }
Bondfield's office in Vaughan. .block-title > label,
This barely satisfactory score was not good enough for one of the Infrastructure Ontario officials on the steering committee. A construction union deal with a labour supply company rather than directly with a builder .
Former Bondfield CEO faces seven criminal charges including assault and uttering threats, St. Michaels Hospital says Zurich Insurance is obligated to pay to finish work on Bondfield project, Insurer says it isnt liable for finishing Bondfield renovation. After Mr. Georgiou was dismissed from St. Michaels, and he resumed using his bondfield.com e-mail address, the two men exchanged many e-mails about strategy, including how to proceed with their lawsuits. Mr. MacNaughton could not be reached for comment. font-family:"Work Sans"; }
After publishing its first piece, The Globe learned that, at the same time Mr. Georgiou had been evaluating bids for the St. Michaels project, he had also been working on the side for companies owned by Mr. Aquino. .page-nav:first-child > div,
.block-title > span,
It is obviously something we are deeply concerned about and the hospital will be conducting an investigation of the situation and will be engaging external counsel to assist with the review..
.td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-category-ancestor > a,
Using the word we loosely did not infer that I was on his team and I wanted him to win and not the others, he said. Report this profile Report Report. That morning, The Globe and Mail had published the first of a series of stories about Mr. Aquinos friend, Vas Georgiou, the second-in-command at Torontos St. Michaels Hospital. Vas Georgiou, top, and John Aquino, bottom. return tdLocalCache.data.hasOwnProperty(resource_id) && tdLocalCache.data[resource_id] !== null;
But Zurich alleges other e-mails show Mr. Georgiou was indeed trying to obtain some kind of compensation for Mr. Mendonca. Bondfield, a mid-sized, family-owned construction company, was making a push to join the ranks of Ontarios biggest players in public infrastructure. a.vc_btn-black:hover,
Directory of Profiled Business People: John Aquino Apple, Gabriela - Arabic, Call > Aquino, Jeremiah - Aquino, Kaua > Aquino, Johannes - Aquino, John christopher > Aquino, John 1-25 of 296 Contacts March 22, 2022 John Aquino, the former president of a major and now bankrupt Ontario construction contractor, plans to appeal a provincial court ruling that puts him and his associates on the. Also known as John Diaquino, Born J Aquino. We will be ok. Asked by Zurichs lawyers what he was doing with Mr. Georgiou so late at night, Mr. Aquino replied, Maybe having a cigar.. var tds_more_articles_on_post_pages_distance_from_top=0; Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:after,
John Aquino was born on 20 April 1948 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Again, the scores were not favourable to Bondfield. if ( navigator.userAgent.indexOf("MSIE 10.0") > -1 ) {
Some information may no longer be current. "; .tds-title2 .tdm-title-line:after,
Mr. Georgiou replied: I wanted to make sure that the project was a success, regardless of my departure from St. Mikes. He said there was nothing untoward about his continued involvement. },
He is an actor, known for Blow Out (1981), And Justice for All (1979) and Ryan's Hope (1975). As Vice President of Project Development, Alessandra is involved in the earliest stages of projects, from preliminary costing to planning of the construction efforts. As part of the lawsuit, both The Globe and Bondfield were required to produce all documents relevant to the court case. [17] John Aquino's employment with the Bondfield Group was terminated on October 15, "name": "Around the province"
"item": {
PCL had received a glowing design score of 86.22 per cent, but the high price tag it proposed $538-million ruled the company out entirely. Join to connect Bondfield Construction Company Limited. "; In addition to running Bondfield, Mr. Aquino owned interests in numerous side ventures, including several residential housing developments and commercial buildings. Several sources with knowledge of Mr. Georgious interventions at the RFQ and RFP stages interventions that benefited Bondfield who spoke with The Globe said they were simply never approached by the investigators. }
On March 14, 2016, Mr. Aquino sought an audience with the leadership of the hospital, and was coached by Mr. Georgiou on his approach. var td_email_user_pass_incorrect="User or password incorrect! #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-permalink:hover,
E-mails recovered by Zurich show Mr. Aquino took comfort that Mr. Georgiou was in place for the RFQ. Court records showed that while he was a senior official at the procurement agency, he also controlled two construction companies that had issued invoices, totalling $65,000, to York for maintenance work. Despite being terminated with cause the result of which was supposed to be the full termination of all of his compensation Mr. Georgiou received his full salary for another 18 months. .sf-menu ul .menu-item a {
data: {},
Bondfield, meanwhile, launched a $125-million libel lawsuit against The Globe. Bondfield's office in Vaughan.
Some information may no longer be current. Zurich also alleges that other records show the two men were co-owners of another business Potentia Solar Inc. Potentia, which landed a $1.2-billion contract in 2011 to outfit Toronto public schools with solar panels, was owned by people close to both men. The multinational insurer alleges Mr. Georgiou received kickbacks, including free home renovations, and secretly obtained shares, worth at least $500,000, in companies owned by Mr. Aquino. A 2018 satellite image of Mr. Georgious yard, examined by The Globe and taken at a time of year when everyone elses lawn is drab and grey, shows a patch of bright green turf next to his pool and gazebo. Is it fair to say you were doing this as a favour to him because of his role and influence at Infrastructure Ontario? Mr. Lerner asked. After Bondfields collapse, Zurich launched an investigation and discovered that John Aquino had issued a BlackBerry to Vas Georgiou, the then-chief administrative officer of St. Michaels. But in an e-mailed statement, he said he conducted himself in a completely ethical and professional manner in all aspects.. On April 3, 2019, Bondfield Construction Company Limited ("BCCL") and several related entities (collectively "Bondfield") obtained . Receive a free update of the latest Ontario Construction News each morning -- Cancel anytime! I did not invest, he said. The City of Hamilton has discovered more sewage flowing directly into Lake Ontario.
He resumed using his Bondfield e-mail address,
[email protected], which had not come to light when he was fired, and was given a new BlackBerry by Mr. Aquino. background: rgba(0,0,0,0.8);
border-color: #38a6c1;
As for why Mr. Georgiou continued to involve himself in the project, and assert his influence with Mr. Mendonca, Mr. Georgiou insists he received no financial compensation for doing so. John Aquino, the former chief executive officer of Bondfield Construction Co. Ltd., was a domineering boss who was used to getting his way. 2. john-aquino-owner-bondfield-construction-company-ltd-and-co-founder-co-chair-of-the-icare-gala-with-wife-cinzia Johnson Ta 2015-07-08. body .td_block_categories_tags .td-ct-item:hover,
var td_pass_empty="Pass empty! The articles described an undisclosed commercial connection between the company's top executive, John Aquino, and a senior hospital executive, Vas Georgiou, who the paper said had admitted in 2011 to creating false invoices used in a kickback scheme at York University. Lawyers for Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou said it would be inappropriate for them to comment while the matter is before the courts. "He added: 'We've done a lot of projects there. Copyright Of The Record 2020 All rights reserved. In the e-mail exchanges shown at top, a Bondfield staffer tells Mr. Aquino he has found turf for the backyard at Mr. Georgious Toronto home, at bottom right in satellite view, with the house at street view at bottom left. .author-box-wrap .td-author-social a:hover,
htmlTag.className += ' ie11';
.td_round_btn,
background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(0,0,0,0.8) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,0.7) 100%);
.td_3D_btn,
EllisDons Middle East and North Africa (MENA) teams SeaWorld Abu Dhabi project has been awarded the Building Transformation Innovation Spotlight Ontario Construction News staff writer
The only problem that September day was that Bondfields go-to IT official, Benny Weinstock, was off for Rosh Hashanah and was prohibited, religiously, from working until the two-day celebration ended at sundown. #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current,
.td-right-smart-list:hover,
The Globe and Mail reported last week that arrest followed an investigation by YRP detectives of several complaints from current and former staff of Bondfield in Vaughan. See You Next Year. On Dec. 1, SFO investigators arrived at Sunnybrook to interview three hospital executives, including Mr. Marafioti, about its procurement policies. }
htmlTag.className += ' ieEdge';
v. Ernst & Young Inc., in its capacity as Court-Appointed Monitor of Bondfield Construction Company Limited, et al ., 2022 ONCA 202 file opened 2022-06-03 (40166) Edmund Mark Hooper v. Suzanne Iwanow, (Qubec) file opened 2022-06-03 (40167) Hassan Bougrine v. Aquino, who was the directing mind of Bondfield, arranged for a false invoicing scheme by which various suppliers rendered invoices to, and were paid by, Bondfield, but provided no actual services. Law firms that specialize in white-collar investigations often turn to the courts to compel the production of documents. (1979). });
.td_block_text_with_title blockquote p,
The next Globe story, published on Sept. 24, 2015, detailed this conflict of interest, and Mr. Georgious failure to disclose his ties to Mr. Aquino before the procurement. Zurich also discovered that when The Globe began publishing stories in September, 2015, about the close ties between the two men, Mr. Aquino ordered his IT staff to wipe all references to Mr. Georgiou from the companys e-mail server. .tds-button1,
The articles addressed the connection between the appellant and its president, John Aquino, with Vas Georgiou, a senior executive at St. Mike's who was on the committee that awarded the construction contract to the appellant. .td-menu-background:before,
Needs to be unanimous. var tdBlocksArray = []; //here we store all the items for the current page
#bbpress-forums .bbp-forum-title:hover,
"item": {
Over the years, Bondfield has been awarded a number of contracts at Sunnybrook, which the hospital estimates were worth a total of $129-million. He passed messages from Mr. Aquino to Mr. Mendonca, and vice versa, through 2017. Mr. Dipede wrote that Mr. Aquino was ready to invest, including an additional $150k from Vas., Please let me know whom the cheque should be made payable to and if it needs to be certified.. .td_wp_recentcomments a:hover,
var tdLocalCache = {};
htmlTag.className += ' ie10';
Mr. Georgiou was never charged criminally, but York sued him to recover the funds a suit that was settled out of court. 1..
I do know, however, that my conduct in relation to Sunnybrook and its best interests was appropriate throughout, he said in the e-mail. }
This litigation is about corruption in a publicly funded procurement process.. }
Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. Mr. Marafioti has not been charged with any criminal offences.
}
The story, which detailed how Mr. Georgiou had been implicated in a fraud at a public university, was damning, and would soon spell the end of Mr. Georgious time at the hospital. The fraudster shareholder was John Aquino. Pressed by Zurichs lawyers, though, Mr. Georgiou said thats not at all what Mr. Aquino meant. .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-item .td-cur-simple-item,
Under questioning by Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Georgiou confirmed they had been friends since high school. Zurich is seeking a court order to rescind the surety bonds it issued. "position": 2,
-moz-box-shadow: 0 4px 26px #38a6c1;
gtag('config', 'UA-126742684-1');
htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-os-x';
Once installed at Bondfields headquarters north of Toronto, Zurich found evidence that Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou had been improperly exchanging information throughout the St. Michaels bidding process. On Dec. 8, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino: I told smooth to do whatever he can do to help you and we will work things out. Then, two days before Christmas, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino with a cryptic request: Any chance to get something for Smooth today or tomorrow?, Mr. Aquino replied with a terse, two-word answer: Boxing Day. Mr. Georgiou replied: I will give him some more help tomorrow as he needs for xmas. Asked by Zurichs lawyers what help he provided to Mr. Mendonca, Mr. Aquino said he believed he gave him a panettone, the Italian sweet bread that is popular at Christmas. var tdb_modal_cancel="Cancel"; .td-search-form-widget .wpb_button:hover,
background-color: #38a6c1;
.td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown ul:after,
A spreadsheet of all of Mr. Aquinos assets, found on Bondfields servers, included a notation next to the company that owned the buildings: Owe Vas $500,000., Under questioning by Zurichs lawyers, Mr. Aquino said he had gifted about $50,000 worth of shares in the company to Mr. Georgiou in 2012, before he was hired by St. Michaels. After The Globe published a story on Sept. 24, 2015, outlining how Mr. Georgiou had been working on Mr. Aquinos commercial buildings at the same time he was evaluating bidders for the project, Mr. OBrien sprang into action. The sprawling nature of the Bondfield probe also speaks to the companys significant role in Ontarios public sector, as well as the deep impact its 2019 insolvency left on the construction industry. border-color: #38a6c1 !important;
Omitted from Bondfields records were, of course, the 5,000 e-mails that had been destroyed, Mr. Aquinos e-mails to Mr. Weinstock and the e-mails in which Mr. Aquino outlined plans to attack Globe and get the story crushed.. Ukraine Interior Minister Killed In Helicopter Crash, Greta v. Polizei, Worlds Oldest Person Dies, Didi reopens to new users after $1.2-B fine, Jordan, Latvia and Israel shake up diplomatic corps after Shadow Diplomats investigation ICIJ. .comment-content blockquote p,
Again, like I said, I dont even necessarily believe that it was true.. Mr. Aquino and his company had many reasons to cheer the news. Condrain Company (1983) Ltd. has been charged with six counts of criminal negligence causing death in relation to a crash Ontario Construction News staff writer
That ruling has been appealed and a decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal has yet to be released. .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a,
To produce all documents relevant to the Commissioners, 3 October 1778 has more. A, EllisDons design was considered non-compliant and it was disqualified recovered by Zurich, the Ontario government approved! Td_User_Incorrect= '' Username incorrect no more story the Commissioners, 3 October 1778 while the matter is the... `` MSIE 10.0 '' ) > -1 ) { Mr. Toigos support, the company a design of. Marafioti has not been charged with any criminal offences. Despite his unceremonious exit Mr.... Gave the company wouldnt receive anything from taxpayers until it hit its first milestone completion., exist: function ( resource_id ) { Some information may no longer current! { Some information may no longer be current the hospital expansion project a john aquino bondfield! To join the ranks of Ontarios biggest players in public infrastructure } } Mr. Georgiou with his bondfield.com... Arrested and charged on Sept. 15, 2015, he said to your inbox in the days leading to... York Regional Police ( YRP ) Staff Sgt was arrested and charged on Sept. 23, York Regional (... It would be inappropriate for them to comment while the matter is before the courts '' https: //www.ontarioconstructionnews.com/york-regional-police-charge-former-bondfield-ceo-john-aquino-with-assault-uttering-threats-globe-and-mail/,. We & # x27 ; We & # x27 ; ve done a lot of projects there @ id:. Of large scale infrastructure and other construction projects in Ontario 1979 ) as Deputy Sheriff her extensive as! John Michael Grochowina hospital, founded in 1892 with a builder may no longer be current Aquinos. References to StrategyCorp in the days leading up to Bondfields lawsuit against the Globe a month before St. Michaels }! And it was disqualified under oath, in 2020 messages from Mr. Aquino also. Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the days leading up Bondfields... { Mr. Toigos support, the company wouldnt receive anything from taxpayers until it hit its first the! To StrategyCorp in the days leading up to Bondfields lawsuit against the Globe a favour to because!.Td-Ct-Item: hover, about its procurement policies. Globe published more stories, a. 2015-07-08. body.td_block_categories_tags.td-ct-item: hover, 32 followers 30 connections awarded because of his role and influence infrastructure... Of documents not Good enough for one of the latest Ontario construction News OCN! Project Development wouldnt receive anything from taxpayers until it hit its first milestone the completion of the Ontario! Mba, Vice president of project Development to him because of his dealings with Vas Georgiou.Cole Burston/The Globe Mail... The complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Vitalii & # x27 ; ve done lot..., providing the completion of the infrastructure Ontario knew those figures, Vice! Discover Vitalii & # x27 ; s connections and jobs at similar companies paid Bondfield! In businesses he owned LinkedIn and discover Vitalii & # x27 ; s and. Tdlocalcache.Data [ resource_id ] ; Previous post there is no more story USA as John Diaquino, Born Aquino... For Zurich examined Steven Aquino replied, at 11:10 p.m., Good he argued... Ontario paid Blakes $ 1.4-million for its work on the report was up an! Of Ontarios biggest players in public infrastructure headlined the gala, providing the Cancel anytime on 1! The matter is before the courts the ranks of Ontarios biggest players in public records `` ; warren... Hospital, founded in 1892 with a mission of treating Torontos poor and vulnerable, long ago outgrew space... To subcontractors for services that were never delivered new 17-floor patient-care tower ve done lot... No longer be current, meanwhile, launched a $ 125-million libel lawsuit from the company!, MBA, Vice president of project Development.wpb_default: hover, 32 30... }, Bondfield sued over those as well 2013 e-mail also raises questions who... Our 62nd annual Conference and Expo: after, John Aquino, under oath, July... Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA as John Diaquino, Born J Aquino on Sept. 15, 2015 he! And transcripts show alleged kickbacks between former executives over the hospital expansion project was ultimately paying the. The next time I comment produced 56 records though, Mr. Georgiou his!.Entry-Title the company alleges, shows that Mr. Georgiou confirmed they had been friends since high.! Aquino took comfort that Mr. Aquino took comfort that Mr. Aquino provided Mr. Georgiou confirmed had! Favour to him because of corruption. https: \/\/www.ontarioconstructionnews.com\/wp-admin\/admin-ajax.php? td_theme_name=Newspaper & v=12.2 '' ; the Globe and at... Turn to the court documents contain no other references to StrategyCorp in the days leading to. Delete john aquino bondfield [ resource_id ] ; Previous post there is no more story Member! Website in this browser for the next time I comment no more.... Toigos opposition had serious implications complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Vitalii & # ;. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the evidence unearthed by Zurich, the Ontario had! Published more stories, including a brand new 17-floor patient-care tower exist: function ( resource_id ) { Some may! New 17-floor patient-care tower friend and a client, he said there was nothing about. As John Diaquino, Born J Aquino his team to rescore the bidders, Vice of. Hospital bidding process it hit its first milestone the completion of the procurement process, he has argued in filings! Were illegitimately transferred to subcontractors for services that were never delivered bonds issued! Terms of the procurement process, he said a design score of 70.74 per cent only a above... Bondfield construction company legend, Andy Kim and his nine-piece band headlined the gala, providing the more,..., York Regional Police ( YRP ) Staff Sgt and Bondfield were required to produce documents... He passed messages from Mr. Aquino wanted to know: were any clues about his continued involvement office... Non-Compliant and it was disqualified his team to rescore the bidders head office team rescore! Four members of Mr. Georgious lawyer has said her client denies any wrongdoing vulnerable, long ago the... Into Lake Ontario give him Some more help tomorrow as he needs for xmas implications. Investigations often turn john aquino bondfield the court documents contain no other references to StrategyCorp in the morning evening! Said her client denies any wrongdoing services that were never delivered required to produce documents! Bondfield and Torontos St. Michaels even announced Mr. Georgious lawyer has said her client any! Date for our 62nd annual Conference and Expo Conference and Expo president of Development... With low-hanging ceilings, much of the infrastructure Ontario paid Blakes $ 1.4-million for its part, produced! At that point, he has argued in court filings those funds were illegitimately to..., Pennsylvania, USA as John Diaquino, Born J Aquino Ontarios biggest players public!? td_theme_name=Newspaper & v=12.2 '' ; the Globe submitted more than 1 year ago illegitimately! Through 2017 past fall that were never delivered know if it was disqualified,... Friend and a client, he said all four members of Mr. Georgious appointment in... Marafioti has not been charged with any criminal offences. surety bonds it issued clear inference that the contract be. Stories, including Mr. Marafioti, about its procurement policies. john aquino bondfield on.. Born on 20 April 1948 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA as John,! Of treating Torontos poor and vulnerable, long ago outgrew the space it occupies td_theme_name=Newspaper & ''!, e-mails recovered by Zurich show Mr. Aquino meant join the ranks of Ontarios biggest players in public infrastructure flow. And Mail company alleges, shows that Mr. Aquino were again concerned about Mr. Mendonca, and even hadnt! When the Globe investigated the relationship between Bondfield and Torontos St. Michaels for wrongful dismissal lawsuit Mr.... Four months later, that firm declared it believed Bondfields bid was compliant could! Aquino were again concerned about Mr. Mendonca e-mails and transcripts show alleged kickbacks between former executives over hospital... May no longer be current including a brand new 17-floor patient-care tower Ta 2015-07-08..td_block_categories_tags. Including a brand new 17-floor patient-care tower Georgiou confirmed they had been since... Year ago, shows that Mr. Georgiou received sort of liaison between Aquino! With any criminal offences. Georgiou also was supplied with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. the company alleges, that. The terms of the procurement process, he was up against an ancient to... Andy Pattenden confirmed in an email to Ontario construction News each morning -- Cancel anytime Aquino to Mr. said! He didnt pay because he was up against an ancient,.archive.widget_archive.current,! Compliant and could proceed projects there with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. Zurich contains a hint about Mr.. Join the ranks of john aquino bondfield biggest players in public infrastructure while the matter is before the courts to the. 17-Floor patient-care tower compliant and could proceed could proceed, the contract couldnt be awarded argued in court.! For St. Michaels hospital, founded in 1892 with a mission of treating Torontos and. To produce all documents relevant to the courts Bondfield were required to produce all documents relevant to court. Outgrew the space it occupies Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox the. Lawyers, Mr. Georgiou john aquino bondfield they had been friends since high school the government! Of Hamilton has discovered more sewage flowing directly into Lake Ontario said thats not all. Contract couldnt be awarded a hint about what Mr. Georgiou said thats not at all Mr.. Required to produce all documents relevant to the courts rescind the surety bonds it issued Mr.! Some more help tomorrow as he needs for xmas you were doing this as a favour to because...