https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2...ley-et-mercedes-pour-le-crime-organise?xLAMBORGHINI, BENTLEY and MERCEDES for Organized Crime. The building of Lamborghini Montreal was used to launder money. The Lamborghini Montreal building would have been used to manage a company financing luxury cars for members of organized crime. The company in question, Imperial Leasing, would have financed the acquisition of cars from other companies, including Location John Scotti at the same address, to then resell or re-let them at a higher interest rate. According to an affidavit from a police officer from the National Organized Crime Squad (ENRCO) which led to a search in February 2021, Hells Angels Vincent Boulanger was seen with two individuals under police investigation, including a drug dealer, in the dealer's yard along the metropolitan highway.
During the search carried out during the “Percuter” investigation project, the police seized a weapon in the office of the general manager of Lamborghini Montreal, Pasquale Scotti.
He was charged with unauthorized possession and improper storage of a firearm. According to the police, Scotti was the shareholder of Imperial Leasing, a firm “which manages its activities from the Lamborghini Montreal business”.
"The business model of the company Imperial Leasing is that they finance individuals who do not qualify for credit for the purchase or lease of a vehicle and who mainly wish to pay cash", alleges the police officer in the affidavit .Imperial reportedly generated $100,000 in profits per month and served a clientele of "street business guys," according to a conversation reported in the affidavit. "They use intimidation and violence to collect bad payers and those who steal from the company," says the policeman.
Imperial Leasing and another business by the name of Imperial Motors were allegedly financed by Seeyomak Salemi Seyfeddin.
The latter, nicknamed "The Persian" in the underworld, is described by the public prosecutor as one of the leaders of a drug trafficking network.
Seyfeddin allegedly mentioned to a caller that he needed $1,000,000 in cash to finance an auto inventory and $300,000 for the turnover of a car dealership.
A revolving fund would even have been provided in case customers went to jail or could no longer pay and had to be replaced, according to comments reported in the affidavit.
During the search in February 2021, police seized a Henry Repeating Arms .22 caliber lever-action rifle, Golden Boy model.
Mr. Scotti demanded in March that evidence be excluded and that the search be declared illegal, believing in particular that it violated his right to privacy.
But documents relevant to the investigation were found in his own office, according to the ministry. In addition, the firearm was in a soft black fabric case that was not locked, it is alleged.
"An investigation [aiming at the money laundering] requires [...] that the police have more latitude in their work than when the object of the offense or the investigation is circumscribed", pleaded the department in April in a response to Scotti's motion to exclude evidence.
In the motion, the latter argues that he himself was not targeted by the police investigation which led to the search. He also says the search took place at a commercial building that houses separate businesses.
In October 2020, shortly after a series of searches of relatives, Seeyomak Salemi Seyfeddin said, according to the affidavit, that “selling vehicles in the Lamborghini garage does not work anymore”.
Mr. Scotti's trial for possession and improper storage of a firearm has been set for September.
LUXURY VEHICLES LOVED BY CRIMINALS
According to an affidavit from a police officer, many criminals use luxury car rentals.
