Project H23 busts scheme worth tens of millions

Police in Manitoba believe they have prevented tens of millions of dollars in credit card fraud, after completing a nine-month investigation that resulted in 21 arrests and more than 300 charges.

Project H23 was a joint operation between the Winnipeg Police Service and the RCMP Commercial Crime Unit.

The operation was initially formed to investigate a credit/debit card skimming scheme. The suspects involved were allegedly using consumers' credit card information to create counterfeit cards in Calgary and Winnipeg. 

Police say the amount racked-up on the cards is about $750,000; but that the suspects had the potential to fraudulently spend in the tens of millions of dollars.

Investigators later discovered suspects were also allegedly stealing cars and trafficking firearms, and that a known street-gang was involved.

Over the last week ten Winnipeg homes and one home in Calgary were raided. Investigators arrested 19 people in Winnipeg and two in Calgary. Charges were later dropped for at least one.

The investigation has resulted in more than 300 criminal charges including; fraud, theft, arson, illegal firearms possession and trafficking, robbery with a firearm, and conspiracy to commit murder.

The accused and the charges they are facing are:

1) Randeep Dhanjoon, 33 years of Winnipeg

• Possess/Trafficking Credit Card Data X 51
• Possess Proceeds of Crime X 9
• Robbery with a Firearm
• Traffic a Firearm
• Unauthorized Possession of a firearm X 4
• Possess Restricted/Prohibited firearm X 2
• Dangerous operation Motor Vehicle
• Possess firearm in a vehicle X 2
• Conspire to Commit Murder
• Conspire to Commit Indictable Offence X 3
• Possess Controlled Substance; Marihuana X 2
• Possess Instruments for forging Credit Cards
• Fraud Over $5,000

2) Cameron Kinnavanthong, 23 years of Winnipeg

• Unauthorized Possession of Weapon
• Possession of Firearm while Prohibited
• Possess Controlled Substance Cannabis Marihuana
• Possess Controlled Substance Cocaine
• Possess Substance for Purpose of Trafficking Cannabis Marihuana
• Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm
• Disguise with Intent
• Careless Use of Firearm
• Robbery with Firearm
• Flight From a Police Officer
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle
• Point Firearm
• Possess Weapon for Dangerous Purpose X 2
• Break and Enter Dwelling House
• Knowledge of Unauthorized Possession of Firearm X 2
• Possess/use Forged Credit Card x 7
• Fraud Over $5,000
• Possess Property Obtained by Crime X 4 & Breach of Probation X 2

3) Ronald Seed, 23 years of Winnipeg

• Possession of a firearm for trafficking x 8
• Possession of ammunition for trafficking x 1
• Possession of a firearm while prohibited x 8
• FTC Recognizance x 2
• Drive while disqualified x 1
• Unauthorized possession of prohibited weapon x 1
• Carless storage firearm x 8
• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous purpose x 8
• Knowledge of Unauthorized firearm (licence) x 8
• Knowledge of Unauthorized firearm (registration) x 8
• Possess/use Credit Card Data X 18
• Arson for Fraudulent Purpose
• Arson Cause Damage to Property
• Possession Property Obtained By Crime
• Personation with Intend
• Theft Under $5,000
• Drive Disqualified
• Traffic a controlled Substance; Psilocybin

4) Andrea Jacobucci, 21 years of Winnipeg

• Possession of a firearm for trafficking x 8
• Possession of ammunition for trafficking x 1
• Unauthorized possession of prohibited weapon x 1
• Carless storage firearm x 8
• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous purpose x 8
• Knowledge of Unauthorized firearm (licence) x 8
• Knowledge of Unauthorized firearm (registration) x 8
• Possess a Controlled Substance; Marihuana
• Theft Under $5,000
• Arson for Fraud Purpose
• Arson, Cause Damage to Property

5) Douglas Ronald JOHNSEN, 28 yrs of Winnipeg

• Careless Use of Firearm X 2
• Robbery with Firearm
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (Certificate)
• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose X 2
• Possess Proceeds of Crime
• Unauthorized Possession of Weapon
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
• Possession of Prohibited Firearm
• CDSA 5(2) Cannabis Marihuana
• Possession of Prohibited/Restricted Firearm
• Disguise with Intent
• Possess a Firearm with altered Serial #
• Flight From Police Officer
• Point Firearm
• Drive Disqualified
• Break and Enter Dwelling House, Commit Offence

6) Kristin Douglas DODDS, 30 yrs of Winnipeg

• Break and Enter Dwelling House, Commit Offence
• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
• Robbery with a Firearm
• Possess Firearm with Altered Aerial Number
• Careless Use of Firearm X 2
• Possession of Firearm at Unauthorized Place
• Possession of Prohibited Firearm/Ammunition
• CDSA 5 (2) Cannabis Marihuana
• Unauthorized Possession Firearm X 2
• Unauthorized Possession of a Weapon
• Disguise with Intent
• Possess Proceeds of Crime

7) Eldrine Monton, 22 years of Winnipeg

• Conspire to Commit Murder, Possess a firearm X 4

8) Brian Bautista, 27 years of Winnipeg

• Conspire to Commit Murder, Knowledge of a firearm X 3
• Possess firearm while prohibited
• Possess Prohibited/Restricted Firearm
• Use forged Credit Card X 2

9) Norm Packulak, 39 years of Winnipeg

• Robbery

10) Cory Pangman, 19 years of Winnipeg

• Possess Instrument of Forgery
• Traffic Credit Card Data

11) Amanda Driskell 19 years of Winnipeg

• Possess Instrument of Forgery
• Traffic Credit Card Data

12) Mandeep Rai, 18 years of Winnipeg

• Possess Instrument of Forgery

13) David Dondo 20 years of Winnipeg

• Possess Instrument of Forgery
• Traffic Credit Card Data
• Breach of Conditional Sentence Order

14) Zenawi Cheway 20 years of Winnipeg

• Possess Instrument of Forgery

15) Dennis Villeran 34 years of Winnipeg

• Fraud Over $5,000

16) Gregory McCormack 26 years of Winnipeg

• Fraud Over $5,000
• Arson for Fraudulent Purpose

17) Patrick Okoro 21 years of Winnipeg

• Fraud Over $5,000

18) Jennifer Okoro 23 years of Winnipeg

• Public Mischief
• Fraud Over $5,000

19) Hieu Nguyen 28 years of Winnipeg

• Fraud Over $5,000

_______