A car salesman from Barrie, swept up in high-profile auto theft investigation, is suing for damages and seeking an apology from Chief Myron Demkiw

Toronto Police Service is denying any wrongdoing after 176 charges against two car salesmen were suddenly dropped last year — triggering an $11-million lawsuit alleging false arrest and public humiliation.

As first reported by Village Media, Harris Bocknek of Barrie, and Fadi Zeto of Toronto filed a statement of claim in June, seeking hefty financial damages and a personal apology from Chief Myron Demkiw.

Bocknek and Zeto worked as automotive sales and finance managers at Rouge Valley Mitsubishi in Scarborough until late-2023. In 2024, the pair was arrested in a high-profile auto-theft investigation.

Alleged stolen vehicles were being sold to unsuspecting customers, according to a police investigation dubbed Project Warden. The two men were accused of using fake sales agreements, Vehicle Identification Numbers from legally owned cars and dealership money to buy stolen cars from numbered companies.

TPS announced in November 2024 that it had carried out several search warrants across residences, commercial garages and vehicles connected to the two men. Bocknek was charged with 92 offences, while Zeto was charged with 84.

The Crown withdrew all charges against the two men nearly 10 months after their arrests, citing no reasonable prospect of conviction.

Bocknek and Zeto’s lawsuit, which names Demkiw, the Toronto Police Service Board and numerous officers as defendants, claims they were falsely arrested, publicly humiliated and financially damaged by the criminal allegations.

“Even though someone’s charges could be cleared, they could still be living under the weight of the suspicion,” Bocknek said in June.

In a statement of defence filed on Aug. 14, the police force denies all wrongdoing — describing the lawsuit as “scandalous, frivolous and vexatious.”

The filing said that “at all material times there were reasonable and probable grounds for any charges laid against” the two men, and that the investigation was not driven by “malice, ill-will or improper purpose.”

The statement of defence also said the Crown, not the police, made the ultimate decision on how to proceed with the charges.

Claims ‘excessive’: defence

The two plaintiffs are seeking nearly $11 million combined, alleging the highly publicized case altered their lives, including the loss of their careers, financial institutions cancelling credit lines and accounts, and even the loss of a home. Zeto said in June that he lost his home in Mississauga, Ont. and has since relocated to Etobicoke.

According to their statement of claim, Bocknek is seeking $4,040,315, while Zeto is looking for $4,779,838.40.

Both men are also asking for $500,000 each in aggravated damages, and another $500,000 in punitive damages.

They have faced financial damages in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, including seven years of income loss, the lawsuit argued.

Police deny any damages or injuries claimed by Bocknek and Zeto and said the demands are “excessive, too remote,” “not recoverable at law and have not been mitigated by the two men.”

The defence specifically denied “that the plaintiffs are entitled to any award of punitive and/or, aggravated damages.”

Police also said it is not responsible for any unemployment the men may have faced, pointing out that the Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council has already revoked their registrations in connection with a separate investigation.

“The damages claimed by the plaintiffs are actually due to situations or conditions related to the plaintiffs which pre-dated the incident referred to [in] the statement of claim,” according to the statement of defence.

Both Bocknek and TPS denied comment to Village Media because the lawsuit is before the courts.

A court date has not been set.