Longtime Vaughan councillor, former mayor Michael DiBiase charged with municipal corruption, breach of trust

OPP laid charges more than 4 years after integrity commissioner forwarded complaint from citizen involving allegations of corruption

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 3, 2019
Lisa Queen

Former Vaughan Mayor Michael DiBiase is facing criminal municipal corruption charges, the Ontario Provincial Police announced the night of Oct. 2.

The OPP was asked to investigate the scandal-plagued former mayor by York Regional Police in April 2015. Because DiBiase sat on York Region council at that time, York police said they wanted to ensure there was no appearance of a conflict of interest.

The York force’s request related to a referral from the city’s integrity commissioner, Suzanne Craig, and a complaint from city hall watchdog and long-time DiBiase rival Richard Lorello involving allegations of corruption by DiBiase, who was a local and regional councillor at the time.

Following an investigation by the OPP’s anti-rackets branch, the 71-year-old Woodbridge resident has been charged with one charge each of breach of trust and municipal corruption under the Criminal Code.

The OPP will not comment further in order to protect the integrity of the investigation and any ensuing court processes, the police force said in a statement.

DiBiase is scheduled to appear in a Newmarket court on Oct. 30.

He could not be reached for immediate comment.

The charges come almost two and a half years after the then-deputy mayor resigned in May 2017 after the city's integrity commissioner found he sexually harassed an employee.

The police investigation looked at city contracts DiBiase signed during his 24-year political career as a local and regional councillor and his stint as mayor from 2002 to 2006.

It also probed whether he played any role in the city’s tendering procedures, including those involving Maystar General Contractors, which built Vaughan’s city hall.

Maystar was paid more than $100 million in contracts it earned with the city.

In an investigative story just before the October, 2014 municipal election, the CBC looked into DiBiase’s relationship with Maystar. Lorello alleged the company helped build DiBiase’s family cottage on Orr Lake in Elmvale.

Lorello also filed a complaint with the city’s integrity commissioner but Craig said the allegations appeared to be “criminal in nature” and beyond her jurisdiction to investigate.

There was nothing in Craig’s report to suggest Maystar has done anything wrong.

Lorello said the night of Oct. 2 he is pleased with the outcome of the OPP investigation.

“My first reaction is thanks to the OPP for staying on top of this thing,” he said.

“I’ve always believed something was wrong. This is basically vindication of what did come out in the integrity commissioner’s report,” he added.

Lorello would like to see the investigation go further.

“I hope they go a bit further because it takes two to tango,” he said.

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