Arsalan Chaudhry pleaded guilty to Canada’s largest gold heist, which took place at Toronto Pearson Airport in 2023.
In 2023, Toronto Pearson Airport witnessed the country’s largest gold heist, as Arsalan Chaudhry conspired to steal 6,600 gold bars worth $22.5 million and millions in foreign cash. Two (now former) Air Canada employees were also part of this as the goods arrived at the Air Canada warehouse and were handed over to the wrong person who showed fake bills of lading. Three years later, Chaudhary, who was arrested in January, admitted robbery in a courtroom on Monday, the Toronto Star reported, detailing what happened in court. A handwritten ‘debt list’ was found in Chaudhary’s possession in which he had noted who would receive how much amount from the proceeds of the gold heist. The gold was melted and the proceeds went to those named persons. Crown attorney Jelena Vlasic detailed the money list police found in Chaudhry’s apartment – a ledger of $10.3 million that he had written to track the distribution of profits from the melted gold.
- An unknown group received a $5 million payment
- $1M to “The Boss”
- $200,000 for “Tommy”
- $150,000 to a “driver”
- $80,000 for a “boat”
- $250,000 for a “condo”
- “Parents” from “40K”.
Chaudhry was arrested at Pearson Airport last January after flying from Dubai under arrangements made through his lawyers. A few weeks after the theft, the gold was melted and sold in the basement of a Mississauga jewelry store. Police said they recovered only $90,000 worth of gold.After the theft, the getaway driver, Durante King-McLean, fled to the US and stayed in an Airbnb booked in Chaudhary’s brother’s name, the court heard. Chaudhary said that he arranged for the driver’s escape but his brother knew nothing about it. In September 2023, King-McLean was arrested after a traffic stop near Harrisburg, Penn. Police seized 65 handguns and two cell phones destined for Canada.