前骑警以协助中国干预罪被捕

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Ex-Mountie charged with foreign interference offences, allegedly 'used knowledge and extensive network'​


CTVNews.ca's Rachel Aiello shares what is known about the ex-Mountie who has been charged with foreign interference.


Details about charges ex-Mountie is facing​


'Historical' foreign interference charges​

Updated July 21, 2023 3:08 p.m. EDT
Published July 21, 2023 12:02 p.m. EDT
The RCMP says it has arrested and charged a retired member of its force with foreign interference-related offences, connected to crimes allegedly committed in the years after he left the RCMP.

William Majcher, 60, from Hong Kong, is accused of helping the Chinese government's efforts to "identify and intimidate an individual outside the scope of Canadian law."

"Mr. Majcher allegedly used his knowledge and his extensive network of contacts in Canada to obtain intelligence or services to benefit the People's Republic of China," said the RCMP in a statement issued Friday.

According to the RCMP, the charges follow an investigation from the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) launched in fall 2021 regarding his "suspicious activities."

Majcher appeared via videoconference at the Longueuil, Que. courthouse on Friday, after being arrested in Vancouver on Thursday night.

He has been charged with two counts under the rarely-used Security of Information Act: preparatory acts for the benefit of a foreign entity, and conspiracy.

In an interview with CTV News, RCMP inspector David Beaudoin said he could not talk about "the victim," but said this is a "serious event" for the RCMP.

"However, it's important to note that Mr. Majcher, the alleged infractions that we're currently bringing to the review of the court, occurred between 2014 and 2019. Mr. Majcher's employment with the RCMP ended in 2007."

"So we're talking about criminal behavior that occurred seven years after his employment with the RCMP. At this point, we do not have any indication of infiltration, or any other individuals within the RCMP or the Canadian government that might have been involved in this criminal activity."

Beaudoin, who is in charge of operations for INSET said the investigation originated with the RCMP's national security program and then was assigned to Montreal's INSET group.

"From that point on a team of investigators here took on the file and has managed to progress to the point where we were able to arrest Mr. Majcher last night in Vancouver, while he was visiting Canada," Beaudoin said.

"It is also important to underline that this is not the conclusion of the file. There are still possibilities that we might arrest and actually lay criminal charges against more people in the coming period," he said.

Pressed for more details on how the former Mountie allegedly used his intel and contacts to help China, Beaudoin said the RCMP will be presenting further details in court.

The allegations against the former Mountie have not been proven, and his next scheduled court date is July 25.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FORMER RCMP OFFICER​

A review of publicly-available information about this retired RCMP officer paints a colourful picture of Majcher's career, both during his time with the national police force and in the years that followed.

According to his LinkedIn profile, for several years Majcher has been the president and global head of recovery operations at an organization called Evaluate Monitor Investigate Deter Recover (EMIDR) LIMITED in Hong Kong.

The firm is described as using cyber technology to defend IT infrastructure "and where legally permitted, gather ALL forensic IT evidence to the point of origin of any cyber attack to support a lawful response."

Between 2013 and 2007 Majcher is listed as having worked at a series of companies overseas, doing work ranging from chairing an investment fund in Hong Kong to acting as an" international advisor to a senior member of [a] prominent family" in the middle east.

In a video of a 2014 address to a Hong Kong foreign correspondent's club, Majcher spoke about whistleblower protections, in the context of the Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and WikiLeaks affair.

In it, Majcher talks about growing up in a "very typical Canadian middle-class family," graduating from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, and setting off to Europe to work his first job as a Eurobond trader in London.

"Within a year I was so good at it, I came back to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police," he said. "I actually as a young boy always wanted to be a Mountie… and I wanted some adventure and excitement in my life. I wasn’t motivated by the money."

During his more than two decades with the RCMP beginning in 1985, Majcher worked in contract policing and was involved with federal policing, specifically with experience in "covert" drug investigations and financial crime investigations, including money laundering that took him to the United States. He retired with the rank of inspector.

A page promoting Majcher as a public speaker bills him as being able to offer expertise on Chinese capital flows, financial crimes, the cyber threat in Asia and how to succeed as an entrepreneur "by following some tried and true principles learned from decades of conducting undercover operations."

CHARGES COME AMID FOCUS ON CHINA MEDDLING​

Foreign interference and alleged attempts by China to meddle in Canadian affairs and elections has been an issue at the forefront of the conversation in federal politics for several months, with parties currently negotiating over calling a national public inquiry.

Testifying at a House committee about the issue of foreign interference last month, RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme said that the federal police force has more than 100 files open regarding foreign interference investigations.
"The RCMP has a mandate to detect and disrupt foreign interference attempts. It investigates activities by individuals that pose a risk to Canadian institutions and the economy," said the RCMP on Thursday.

"Foreign actor interference is a priority for many law enforcement and intelligence agencies around the world. The use of these kinds of covert and unofficial operations in Canada by persons mandated by a foreign state is likely to undermine Canada's democratic and judicial processes and threaten Canada's sovereignty."
Beaudoin confirmed that the Majcher investigation is "not related" to anything related to past elections.

In an interview on CTV News Channel, former senior intelligence officer Michel Juneau-Katsuya said these charges are coming at an "opportune" time given the ongoing public conversation around foreign interference.

"It was about time that we have those historical charges laid against Canadian individuals who are helping foreign entities to intimidate people," said the former CSIS official. "We still need to see exactly what kind of evidence was collected against him."

CTV News has reached out to the Public Safety Minister's office for comment.

With files from CTV News Montreal and CTV News' Kevin Gallagher

More to come.

 
“然而,值得注意的是,我们目前提交法院审查的 Majcher 先生涉嫌违规行为发生在 2014 年至 2019 年之间。Majcher 先生在加拿大皇家骑警的雇佣关系于 2007 年结束。”
 

加拿大指控一名退休警察非法为中国谋取好处​

2023年7月22日 06:21
  • 美国之音
资料照 片:中加两国国旗。

资料照 片:中加两国国旗。

评论

加拿大皇家骑警(RCMP)说,一名退休警察星期五(7月21日)受到与外国干涉有关的控罪,他被控帮助中国“在加拿大法律范围之外识别与恐吓某人”。

加拿大指责中国试图通过各种方式干涉加拿大事务,包括非法警察站以及把目标针对议员。北京坚决否认这类指称。

加拿大皇家骑警说,60岁的威廉·马杰(William Majcher)“据称利用他的知识和在加拿大的广泛联系网获取情报或服务,为中华人民共和国谋取好处。”声明没有提供细节。

加拿大皇家骑警说,来自香港的马杰已被控串谋罪以及从事为某外国实体谋取好处的行为,这两项指控源自一项始于2021年末的调查。

驻渥太华的中国大使馆目前还没有回应置评请求。加拿大与中国的关系几年来一直不佳。

今年5月,渥太华驱逐了一名中国外交官,这名外交官据称2021年试图把目标针对在野党议员庄文浩(Michael Chong)在香港的家人。警方上个月说,他们正在调查中国试图恐吓一名联邦议员的指称。加拿大目前有100多项有关外国干涉的调查,这是其中之一。

(本文依据了路透社发自渥太华的报道。)

 

2014年,总理李克强访问加拿大期间,与加拿大签订了共享反腐猎狐资产协议,根据中国媒体报道,加拿大是第一个签订此类协议的国家。这是一个灰色地带。​

5年后,加拿大的态度发生了改变。​

How an ex-Mountie accused of conspiracy became China's 'hired gun' in a campaign Canada once tacitly supported​


.....

“It’s a grey zone because there are international laws where this is allowed,” said McGregor.

SHARING STOLEN ASSETS​

In September 2016, nearly a year after he became prime minister, Justin Trudeau welcomed former premier Li Keqiang to Canada.

During that visit, Keqiang, China’s second-in-command, sealed a historic agreement to work together to recover and share in the return of stolen assets. According to Chinese state media, Canada was the first country to enter into such a treaty with China since it launched its anti-corruption campaign in 2014.

The CCP estimated that as many as 25 per cent of its most wanted financial fugitives had fled to Canada. Under the agreement, Canada and China would co-operate in investigations and split the proceeds of crime once they were recovered. But where the individual faced prosecution would have to be negotiated, because Canada doesn’t have an extradition treaty with China.

During Keqiang’s visit, where removing trade barriers was also discussed, Trudeau expressed in a speech his excitement about developing “a real partnership that will benefit all our people for generations to come.”

But five years later, the government began striking a different tone. In February 2021,Public Safety Canada issued a warning about Operation Fox Hunt stating that China’s anti-corruption efforts weren’t just used to bring criminals to justice, but its tactics could also be used to “silence dissent, pressure political opponents and instill a general fear of state power on Canadian soil.”

Later that year in the autumn of 2021, the RCMP would begin investigating Majcher.

........

 
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