This backchannel was in contravention of numerous procurement rules, and if anyone discovered the e-mails, it would mean trouble for both men. Why on earth would Mr. Mendonca, you and Mr. Aquino, for any legitimate purpose, need to be discussing St. Mikes at all?. In the meantime, our focus will remain on what has been our priority for more than 130 years and what matters even more right now caring for those who need us most during this unprecedented pandemic, she said. The sprawling nature of the Bondfield probe also speaks to the companys significant role in Ontarios public sector, as well as the deep impact its 2019 insolvency left on the construction industry. Your email address will not be published. More than $1-billion worth of Bondfields projects were guaranteed by Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd., including the St. Michaels project, through construction surety bonds. John Aquino was born on 20 April 1948 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:after, .td_3D_btn, Aquino, a former Ontario General Contractors Association chair, has been charged with two counts of assault with a weapon; break and enter; and four counts of uttering threats. Using the word we loosely did not infer that I was on his team and I wanted him to win and not the others, he said. You have entered an incorrect email address! If you would like to receive this service, just complete the information below. However, in his e-mailed statement to The Globe he said he never received cash or any other undisclosed payments from Mr. Aquino or anyone else., The reason cash payments were being raised in Mr. Aquinos examination, was because of an e-mail he sent to Mr. Georgiou in 2017. Mr. Aquino, Mr. Georgiou and Unity Health opposed the disclosure. PCL had received a glowing design score of 86.22 per cent, but the high price tag it proposed $538-million ruled the company out entirely. box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #38a6c1; Required fields are marked *. .tdm_block_pricing .tdm-pricing-feature i, Special to Ontario Construction News } .comment-content blockquote p, In an e-mailed statement, a spokesperson for Metrolinx, the provincial agency that oversees GO Transit, said it learned about this allocation because of The Globes inquiries. body .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-comments-count, Former Bondfield CEO faces seven criminal charges including assault and uttering threats, St. Michaels Hospital says Zurich Insurance is obligated to pay to finish work on Bondfield project, Insurer says it isnt liable for finishing Bondfield renovation. }, Report this profile Report Report. But I didnt give any cash to Mike Mendonca., Mr. Mendonca declined to explain what Mr. Georgiou was referring to when he asked Mr. Aquino to get something for him. } data: {}, } 3. htmlTag.className += ' ieEdge'; Previous post There is no more story. border-color: transparent transparent #38a6c1 transparent; Mr. Aquino was fired from Bondfield in 2018 by his younger brother Steven Aquino, who supplanted him as president. (Mr. Georgiou was also suing St. Michaels for wrongful dismissal. Mr. Georgiou replied: I wanted to make sure that the project was a success, regardless of my departure from St. Mikes. He said there was nothing untoward about his continued involvement. #bbpress-forums .bbp-forum-freshness a:hover, He has lived in Ottawa since 1981. Zurich is seeking a court order to rescind the surety bonds it issued. Mr. Aquino was a part owner of the company that owned the building and, during the same period of time Mr. Georgiou was evaluating bidders interested in redeveloping the hospital, Mr. Georgiou had been co-ordinating construction work at the building. }); var tdc_is_installed="yes"; Throughout the RFQ stage of the procurement the phase that Bondfield barely survived, if not for the rescoring of the submissions Mr. Georgiou was co-ordinating with Bondfield, readying two buildings, owned in part by Mr. Aquino, for new commercial tenants. As the deadline for the final bids crept closer, Mr. Aquino and Mr. Georgiou continued to exchange messages on the secret BlackBerry and Mr. Georgious bondfield.com e-mail account. The next Globe story, published on Sept. 24, 2015, detailed this conflict of interest, and Mr. Georgious failure to disclose his ties to Mr. Aquino before the procurement. .td-smart-list-dropdown-wrap .td-smart-list-button:hover, We need to finish a few things at his place. Other e-mails from 2013, 2014 and 2015 show Bondfield staff asked Mr. Aquino for instructions about how to record work done at Vas house or Vass house.. "; On Dec. 8, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino: I told smooth to do whatever he can do to help you and we will work things out. Then, two days before Christmas, Mr. Georgiou e-mailed Mr. Aquino with a cryptic request: Any chance to get something for Smooth today or tomorrow?, Mr. Aquino replied with a terse, two-word answer: Boxing Day. Mr. Georgiou replied: I will give him some more help tomorrow as he needs for xmas. Asked by Zurichs lawyers what help he provided to Mr. Mendonca, Mr. Aquino said he believed he gave him a panettone, the Italian sweet bread that is popular at Christmas. [17] John Aquino's employment with the Bondfield Group was terminated on October 15, border-color: #38a6c1; } Mr. Georgiou denies he tipped the scales in favour of Bondfield. var td_magnific_popup_translation_tCounter="%curr% of %total%"; Ralph Aquino CHAIRMAN Ralph brings more than 60 years of construction experience to this Chairman role at Corebuild. ( function () { Zurich, however, contends this was far more sinister. Mr. Aquino had also provided Mr. Georgiou with his own bondfield.com e-mail address. To end the impasse, Infrastructure Ontario and St. Michaels took unprecedented steps, with the CEOs of both agencies exchanging e-mails and involving their boards. } In an e-mailed statement to The Globe and Mail he said he could not provide a detailed comment while the matter was under investigation. Since then, John Aquino has emerged as a central figure in the fallout from Bondfields collapse. .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown ul:after, "itemListElement": [ .tds-social3 .tdm-social-item { var tds_more_articles_on_post_time_to_wait=""; The paper, which has been following developments with the major Vaughan, Ont.-based contractor closely, noted none of the allegations have been proven in court. We are yet without any Arrivals from any part of America, from Carolina as an embargo is in force for the exporting of Rice,1 it is not extraordinary, but from all the other Provinces some Vessels may be expected as there are . var htmlTag = document.getElementsByTagName("html")[0]; Pension documents provided by St. Michaels to Zurich show that Mr. Georgiou received his salary from Nov. 12, 2015 to May 12, 2017 payments totalling $477,000. this.ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ''; //show load more at page x .td-rating-bar-wrap div, "@type": "BreadcrumbList", googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); The two men also believed, the e-mails show, they still had a key asset safely in place within the hospital. He said he had never personally profited from the scheme, but acknowledged distributing part of the proceeds, in cash, to a friend who had asked him to issue the invoices. On June 18, 2018, Zurich advised that it would be winding down the Bondfield Group. .td-read-more a, color: #38a6c1; 1.. Winning the St. Michaels contract would elevate the company into the big leagues with rivals EllisDon and PCL Construction. "@type": "WebPage", .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container .vc_tta-tab.vc_active > a, In its statement, Unity Health characterized Zurichs lawsuit as an attempt to get out of its obligations under the surety bonds, and noted that the healthcare network has countersued the insurer. Fax: 905-458-6020. Needs to be unanimous. .td-mobile-content .current-menu-ancestor > a, .page-nav:first-child > div, The corruption investigation into Bondfield Construction Co. Ltd., once one of the largest builders of public sector projects in Ontario, has widened to include its contracts with a second Toronto hospital, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. As the founder of Bondfield Construction, Ralph built a construction company from one employee to reach Canada's top 10 constructors. Earlier, he worked as a journalist and sub-editor, including a stint on the Bulawayo Chronicle in 1979-80, during the transition from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-chrome'; He and other Corebuild employees have not been accused of wrong-doing, and he and his colleagues have co-operated with police and financial investigations into the former Bondfield operations. } On April 3, 2019, Bondfield Construction Company Limited ("BCCL") and several related entities (collectively "Bondfield") obtained . })(); After Mr. Georgiou joined the hospital, the first hurdle Bondfield had to clear was the Request for Qualifications, or RFQ. } .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-category-ancestor > a, Aquino was also charged with breaking and entering after allegedly entering the companys headquarters in April with the intent to steal documents, Pattenden said in an e-mailed statement to the newspaper, which reported that neither Aquino nor his lawyer have responded to requests for comment. var tdb_modal_cancel_alt="No"; .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more i, The unsealed records show that Mr. Aquino was getting support from another close contact: Mr. Georgiou. .tdm_block_column_content:hover .tdm-col-content-title-url .tdm-title, The Globe and Mail reported last week that arrest followed an investigation by YRP detectives of several complaints from current and former staff of Bondfield in Vaughan. gtag('config', 'UA-126742684-1'); While most publishers achieve their role through a sales/business development career, Mark developed his business skills after succeeding as a journalist, and he continues to enjoy actively writing, editing and contributing to the publication. The alleged kickbacks were discovered by Zurich after it launched a lawsuit last year against Mr. Georgiou, Mr. Aquino and Unity Health Toronto the hospital network that includes St. Michaels arguing the two men orchestrated a bid-rigging scheme to ensure Bondfield won the contract. htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-os-x'; For his part, Mr. Georgiou denied, in his examination, having any interest whatsoever in the buildings. Another e-mail from June 10, 2015 after the St. Michaels contract was awarded to Bondfield shows that a Bondfield landscaper wanted to know how he should pay for $4,000 worth of artificial turf Mr. Georgiou wanted for his backyard. .wpb_default:hover, Mr. Georgiou advised Mr. Aquino to keep his temper well known throughout Ontarios construction industry in check. They own the globe and maybe we can get story crushed.. The fraudster shareholder was John Aquino. They were so close, in fact, that in many e-mails Mr. Georgiou referred to Mr. Mendonca by a nickname: Smooth.. The articles addressed the connection between the appellant and its president, John Aquino, with Vas Georgiou, a senior executive at SMH who was on the committee that awarded the construction contract to the appellant. font-weight:normal; In 2015, not long after Bondfield broke ground at the hospital, brown envelopes containing identical letters appeared in the mailboxes of four Globe and Mail journalists. } That was a conflict of interest neither man disclosed. That is why clients turn to us to solve their most complex legal problems. The notes say he discussed with Mr. MacNaughton whether he should proactively get out in front of the issues Globe reporters were probing, or wait until after the newspaper published an article. }, .td_outlined_btn { .wpb_tabs li.ui-tabs-active a, #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current, .widget a:hover, .td_outlined_btn, EllisDon celebrates a major milestone with the grand opening of the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre at Michael Ontario Construction News staff writer htmlTag.className += ' td-md-is-firefox'; Even after Mr. Georgiou was fired by St. Michaels in 2015, he continued to use his influence to help Bondfield. More than 10,000 pages of recently unsealed court documents show that dealings between a senior Toronto hospital executive and a construction company chief executive officer were far more extensive than reported so far, and the pair went to great lengths to conceal them. March 22, 2022 John Aquino, the former president of a major and now bankrupt Ontario construction contractor, plans to appeal a provincial court ruling that puts him and his associates on the. So much of what Runnymede Healthcare Centre does would simply not be possible without the helping hands and open hearts of the hospital's generous donors. 2. Bondfield collapsed in 2019, fired Mr. Aquino as CEO and sought court protection from creditors. .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-menu-ancestor > a, Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. .tds-progress-bar1 .tdm-progress-bar:after, var td_ad_background_click_target=""; The details of the mass deletion are contained in thousands of pages of court documents unsealed in March, at the request of The Globe, by Ontario Superior Court Justice Cory Gilmore. this.td_user_action = ''; // load more or infinite loader (used by the animation) Despite Bondfields failure to produce the e-mails, The Globe was successful in quashing the suit in Ontario Superior Court in 2018. // td_js_generator - mini detector } Zurich argues that the alleged collusion should nullify any obligation it has to pay for the completion of the project. .td_quote_on_blocks, As for why Mr. Georgiou continued to involve himself in the project, and assert his influence with Mr. Mendonca, Mr. Georgiou insists he received no financial compensation for doing so. return tdLocalCache.data[resource_id]; googletag.cmd.push(function() { In a 2017 e-mail, he urged Mr. Aquino to get something for Michael Mendonca, the hospitals vice-president of the redevelopment, and who was recruited to the hospital by Mr. Georgiou. John Aquino talks on the phone in his SUV last April outside Bondfield's office in Vaughan. this.atts = ''; } "position": 1, A warren of crowded hallways with low-hanging ceilings, much of the facility belies the hospitals world-class reputation for research and care. Mr. Aquino had provided Mr. Georgiou with a secret BlackBerry and even his own bondfield.com e-mail address, which they used to pass messages. var tds_more_articles_on_post_pages_distance_from_top=0; As well, the Globe and Mail reports that on June 12, 2018, John Aquino threatened to kill an employee who was doing work on his home. As well, on Oct. 12, 2018, three days before he was fired, John Aquino threatened to kill an adult male regarding e-mails that he didnt like, the Globe and Mail wrote, referencing police sources. .page-nav .current, ,{ .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search .btn:hover, EllisDons Middle East and North Africa (MENA) teams SeaWorld Abu Dhabi project has been awarded the Building Transformation Innovation Spotlight Ontario Construction News staff writer Mr. MacNaughton could not be reached for comment. The agency is investigating these troubling allegations, said spokeswoman Anne Marie Aikins. .block-title, } body .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-authors-name a, gtag('js', new Date()); var td_pass_empty="Pass empty! Osler declined to say how much it was paid by Bondfield. Aquino, Mr. Georgiou replied: I will give him some more tomorrow! Pennsylvania, USA, it would be winding down the Bondfield Group be! 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