Seven police officers from Toronto Police Service and one retired officer have been charged on Wednesday as part of a complex and lengthy investigation into organized crime and corruption sparked by an alleged plot to kill a corrections officer in June, 2025.
The charges – including bribery, obstruction of justice, extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, and conspiracy to commit murder – were announced at a news conference at York Regional Police Headquarters.
Police allege that some of the officers unlawfully accessed and funnelled private information to members of an organized crime group, which was then used to facilitate shootings around Southern Ontario – including violence connected to the tow truck industry.
“This is a deeply disappointing and sad day for policing,” York Regional Police Chief Jim MacSween said. “And it shows the insidious and corrosive nature of organized crime.”
Seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer were charged as part of a complex investigation into organized crime and corruption.
Charged in the corruption probe are Const. Timothy Barnhardt, Sgt. Robert Black, retired Const. John Madeley Sr., his son, Const. John Madeley Jr., Sgt. Carl Grellette, Const. Saurabjit Bedi, Const. Derek McCormick and Const. Elias Mouawad.
Also charged as part of the seven-month-long investigation are 19 civilians, including three accused of attempting to kill a correctional manager at his home. Investigators allege some of this group used bribes to get private information from police, as part of extortion plots.
Those include Brian Da Costa, Elwyn Satanowsky, Kaejean Doman, Median Jackson, Devonte Barker-Campbell, Almar Heath, Calvin Ru, Rimssen Younan, Daljit Singh, Brandi Dixon, Robinson Alexandre, Ashor Bato, Donald Kirkland, Ryan Cribbie, Phillip Lecos, Jennifer Jasey and Mahyar Soldouzi, along with two unnamed youth.
Toronto Police chief Myron Demkiw addresses media during a press conference at the York Regional Police headquarters in Aurora, Ont., on Thursday.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail
York Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan alleged some of the officers were involved in fentanyl and cannabis trafficking by “providing protection,” and theft of personal property from a police facility – including driver’s licences, passports and health cards.
The allegations have not yet been tested in court.
More than 400 officers, including from York, Toronto and the Ontario Provincial Police, have been involved in the investigation, he said.
Toronto Police Service Chief Myron Demkiw said the charges are proof of the police services’ commitment to restoring the public’s trust in the integrity of his officers. He said the seven charged officers have been suspended, and “where appropriate,” will be off the job without pay.
“This is a difficult and unsettling moment,” he said. “I understand this news will be distressing to Torontonians and Toronto Police Service.”
In a statement, the Toronto Police Service Board – the civilian body that oversees the police – formally requested an independent and comprehensive inspection by the Inspector General of Policing. The office monitors police services and boards to ensure compliance with the Community Safety and Policing Act.
“The Board believes such an inspection is necessary to provide the public with a credible and transparent assessment, and to identify any steps needed to strengthen accountability and public safety,” it said in a statement.
Demkiw says the seven officers facing charges have been suspended.Cole Burston/The Globe and Mail
“Public trust in policing is fundamental. The Board holds all members of the Toronto Police Service to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and accountability, and any allegations of criminal conduct are taken extremely seriously.”
Meaghan Gray, a spokesperson for the Toronto Police Association, said in a statement Wednesday evening that the union is “aware of several of its members who were arrested today.”
“As a professional labour organization, we will ensure our members receive due process and wellness support as required,” she said. “We have no further comment regarding this investigation or the members involved.”
The Toronto Police Service Board, a seven-member civilian body that governs and oversees the TPS, held an emergency, in-camera meeting on Wednesday to discuss the matter, a government official said. The Globe and Mail and is not naming the official because they were not authorized to speak about the matter.