CANADA Canada- Isabella Dan, 53, Toronto lawyer, owner of a law office in Markham, 3 March 2023 *Suspicious*

[dotr]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mystery-around-disappearance-of-gta-lawyer-1.6786103

March 22 2023 rbbm Very lengthy article.
by Farrah Merali ·
''Multimillion-dollar lawsuits, an abandoned luxury SUV and a sudden lack of communication are all parts of a mystery police are trying to unravel in the disappearance of a Toronto-area lawyer.

Isabella Dan, the 53-year-old owner of a law office in Markham, Ont., hasn't been seen in almost three weeks, leaving her friends and police concerned about her whereabouts.

Police have called the circumstances of Dan's disappearance suspicious and have now turned the case over to York Regional Police's Homicide and Missing Person Unit, CBC Toronto has learned.

"Some information has been brought to the attention of the investigators that led them to believe the circumstances for this particular case is unusual and out of character," York Regional Police Const. Maniva Armstrong told CBC Toronto.

"And the concern is that there is suspicion or the possibility of foul play," she added. Investigators wouldn't share further details.''

SUV found outside Markham condo​

The last time Dan was seen was the night of March 3 at a condo building in Water Walk Drive and Verclaire Gate close to Highway 7 and Warden Avenue in Markham. The area is humming with construction activity amid a handful of existing highrise condos.

Police believe Dan lived at the building but it's unclear if she was last spotted inside or outside the building

Investigators have also not said where Dan was believed to be going that evening — only that she was wearing a beige coat with fur on the collar and black pants, carrying a red gym bag.

"We know through our investigation that she was an active member at an LA Fitness Gym Club that's also located near the residence," said Armstrong.

The gym is roughly three kilometres from the condo where she was last seen. Investigators are urging anyone who may have known her from the gym to get in touch, Armstrong added. ''


Police told CBC Toronto a vehicle associated with Dan — a grey Land Rover — was found near the Markham condo but wasn't parked in her building's underground garage. Instead, it was on the street outside the building.


''Lien records show Dan signed a four-year lease for the $95,000 vehicle last summer. It's unclear what, if anything, police were able to obtain from the vehicle as part of their investigation.''

Dan was facing multiple civil court battles at the time of her disappearance.

She's named in four ongoing cases at Ontario's Superior Court involving allegations of fraudulent mortgages taken out on properties in the Greater Toronto Area. The most recent was filed in December 2022.

"The lawsuits for my client do not allege Dan facilitated, initiated or benefited from the alleged fraud," said Glenn Cohen, a lawyer representing the plaintiff in two of the cases against Dan.

"They plead claims of lawyer's negligence and breach of contract, in that she failed to comply with the terms of the mortgage commitment, in particular regarding title insurance, and failed to advise the client about aspects of the transactions."

​

 

[dotr]

Mystery surrounds Markham, Ont. woman who 'disappeared without a trace,' timeline raises questions

The timeline surrounding the disappearance of a Markham, Ont. woman has left more questions than answers after York police said she went missing 'without a trace' nearly three weeks ago.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

“We have somebody that works in the city of Markham, that has a consistent schedule, contact with people, and [is] known to be a resident in the city of Markham, and then suddenly, vanished,” Armstrong said.

At this time, York police say there’s no information to confirm that this is an abduction, but they are concerned about her whereabouts.

“She hasn’t showed up to her workplace, and it’s really concerning to us, and to her friends, her colleagues, and people that know her,” Armstrong said.

York police describe Dan as being five-foot-seven with a medium build, brown eyes, and black hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact YRP or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.1800222tips.com.''

 

[NaanOfYourBusiness]

Mystery surrounds Markham, Ont. woman who 'disappeared without a trace,' timeline raises questions

The timeline surrounding the disappearance of a Markham, Ont. woman has left more questions than answers after York police said she went missing 'without a trace' nearly three weeks ago.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Her Grey Land Rover abandoned.

the action on her LA FItness membership card days after she was last seen is odd. There must be cameras to show who used her membership card for that 2nd swipe!

 

[LadyL]

I wonder if she had been threatened at all in connection with the lawsuits.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

‘At this point police have not been able to get in contact with any of Dan’s family members’ —CTV News.

That’s incredibly unusual, imo.

 

[dotr]

rbbm.

Mystery surrounds Markham, Ont. woman who 'disappeared without a trace,' timeline raises questions

A Markham, Ont. woman who has been missing for nearly three weeks 'disappeared without a trace,' police say.

www.iheartradio.ca

''The timeline surrounding the disappearance of a Markham, Ont. woman has left more questions than answers after York police said she went missing "without a trace" nearly three weeks ago.

Isabella Dan, 53, was last seen at her home, in the area of Water Walk Drive and Verclaire Gate, on March 3 at around 8:30 p.m.

According to York Regional Police (YRP), she was last seen leaving her home wearing a beige coat with a fur collar and black pants, and was carrying a red gym bag.

“And then suddenly, (she) vanished and disappeared without a trace,” YRP Const. Maniva Armstrong told CTV News Toronto Wednesday.''

 

[Snoopster]

I wonder if it was a red Goodlife sports bag, as they are quite ubiquitous in Canada.

 

[dotr]

April 6 2023 rbbm.
By Jeremy Grimaldi

Mystery surrounds disappearance of Markham lawyer who's been missing for month

Isabella Dan not seen since March 3, when she didn't show up for meeting

www.yorkregion.com

''What in the world has happened to Isabella Dan?

This is a question that continues to flummox York Regional Police, her friends who reported something was awry and her family members who still reside in China.

That’s because the circumstances around the disappearance of the 53-year-old woman are so strange and out of character.

So strange, in fact, that the homicide unit has now become involved and are investigating her disappearance as such.

The Markham lawyer was last seen March 3 at a condominium building in the area of Water Walk Drive and Verclaire Gate, according to York Regional Police.

The problem is, it doesn’t appear anyone named Isabella Dan owns a condominium at that location''

Dan sold a North York home for $2.75-million in August of 2022.

She owes $1.5-million on two mortgages taken out in 2021 on another North York home that was purchased for just over $1 million in 2020.

At the time of Dan’s disappearance, she was facing four lawsuits for fraudulent bank loans.


Lawyer Glenn Cohen, who is representing clients in two of the four cases, said there’s no allegation in the lawsuits that Dan participated in the alleged fraud, rather that she was acting for the lender in the cases.

"They plead claims of lawyer's negligence and breach of contract, in that she failed to comply with the terms of the mortgage commitment, in particular regarding title insurance, and failed to advise the client about aspects of the transactions,” he said.''

 

[Snoopster]

Isabella seemed to keep a pretty low profile on social media. Even her law practice has limited presence online. I wonder if she has a more prominant presence on Chinese language sites. The Markham area has a very large Chinese community.

 

[Snoopster]

This is not necessarily related to Isabella Dan, but there has been a large increase in mortgage fraud over the past few years in Southern Ontario as propertery values soared during the early years of Covid. Now that property values have eased off in the face of higher mortgage rates, I'm guessing more and more fraud will be uncovered.

6 plaintiffs from Toronto’s Chinese community accuse broker of mortgage fraud | RCI

Civil court documents filed in Ontario Superior Court show Chan is named in five other civil suits — all by members of the Chinese community, all alleging mortgage fraud.

Then, in September 2021, when Li went to renew the mortgage of her Markham, Ont., home, she says she was shocked to learn there were two additional mortgages on it. She says she immediately contacted Chan, and says Chan told her it was a mistake by her company and that she'd have a lawyer discharge the mortgages.

In June 2022, Li says a title search confirmed both mortgages were still in place — one was registered in November 2019 for $400,000, and the other in May 2021 for $392,000.

 

[dotr]

This is not necessarily related to Isabella Dan, but there has been a large increase in mortgage fraud over the past few years in Southern Ontario as propertery values soared during the early years of Covid. Now that property values have eased off in the face of higher mortgage rates, I'm guessing more and more fraud will be uncovered.

6 plaintiffs from Toronto’s Chinese community accuse broker of mortgage fraud | RCI

Wondering what other name the mpers. might have been using? speculation, imo.
Ws thread.. includes several different recent cases of mortgage fraud..

Canada- Man & woman, wanted after Toronto home sold without consent of owners, January 2022 *Photos released*

https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/two-people-wanted-after-toronto-home-sold-without-consent-of-owners ''Authorities say during the month of January 2022, the owners of a Toronto property were out of the country on business when two people impersonated them with fake identification, hired a...

www.websleuths.com

 

[AmandaSkis]

Will we find out that there is a lot more to the story, sort of like what happened with the Murdaugh case?

I am not sure how someone else could take out two additional loans on an original mortgage. I mean, I understand that is where the fraud part comes in but it seems like that could also be a criminal case, not just civil.

And I am still trying to understand what that other attorney, Glenn Cohen, is saying. Is it just word salad?

 

[AddyFinch]

Markham Chinese community must have “ideas” of her disappearance.

 

[Snoopster]

Markham Chinese community must have “ideas” of her disappearance.

They definitely might.
But we will never hear about their insight. They wouldn't post on the 'ususal' social media.
I hope they are fighting to find out what happened to Isabella.

 

[MistyWaters]

That she may have intentionally disappeared after ripping off people is a possibility.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/police-suspect-foul-play-in-disappearance-of-gta-lawyer-1.6818674

“New documents are now painting a picture of further challenges Dan was facing at the time she went missing. CBC News has learned that when she disappeared, Dan was facing allegations of professional misconduct and complaints from clients accusing her of fraud and mishandling their money. The revelations are contained in court filings from the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) — the regulatory body that oversees lawyers……

…….Documents show the LSO recently obtained a court order to be appointed trustee of Dan's law practice — allowing it to take control of bank accounts and client files……

……"The Law Society has received 3 complaints and is investigating allegations that Ms. Dan took client trust funds, acted in a conflict of interest, committed mortgage fraud, and has not accounted to clients for their money," according to the LSO's filings to Toronto's Superior Court of Justice…

….."We haven't really been able to identify anyone that strictly knows her in her personal life," said Coulson. "So her personal life is very mysterious to us."

Police confirmed Isabella Dan went by other names, including Rui Dan and Rourun Dan. CBC News has learned she also went by the name Rachel Dan.….

….."Right now we can't rule out foul play or whether she disappeared purposely," King told CBC News…..”

 

[dotr]

rbbm.

Foul play suspected in disappearance of Markham, Ont. lawyer embroiled in mortgage fraud lawsuits

A lawyer who went missing nearly two months ago while embroiled in a number of legal battles may have been met with foul play, police say.

www.iheartradio.ca

''Real Estate lawyer Isabella Dan, 53, was last seen leaving her Markham, Ont., condominium on March 3 before entering an associate’s Porsche Cayenne parked out front, York Regional Police confirmed to CTV News Toronto Monday.

Investigators confirmed Monday that her home was left in a state thought to be “out of character,” with food and personal items being left out.

From there, investigators believe Dan was dropped off by the associate to meet another unknown person in the area of Highway 7 between Warden and Leslie in Markham, or along Yonge Street between York Mills and Eglinton in the city of Toronto.

At the time of Dan's disappearance, she was facing at least four civil lawsuits alleging she'd taken out fraudulent mortgages on a number of Toronto-area properties, The Ontario Superior Court of Justice confirmed Monday. CTV News Toronto has requested copies of the documents.

CTV News Toronto has also reached out to Dan for comment but did not receive a response by publication.

In the months since Dan went missing, police said they have yet to speak to anyone that strictly knows her in her personal life. They also state Dan may have gone by other names, including ’Rui Dan’ and ‘Rourun Dan.’''

 

[NaanOfYourBusiness]

They definitely might.
But we will never hear about their insight. They wouldn't post on the 'ususal' social media.
I hope they are fighting to find out what happened to Isabella.

Markham is one of the cities in Canada that reportedly had Fuzhou Police Dept 'Service Centres' set up ... I heard there were two in Markham, one in a residential area and one in an industrial strip plaza. Maybe this parallel police could help with the investigation especially in this diaspora.

 

[MistyWaters]

Markham is one of the cities in Canada that reportedly had Fuzhou Police Dept 'Service Centres' set up ... I heard there were two in Markham, one in a residential area and one in an industrial strip plaza. Maybe this parallel police could help with the investigation especially in this diaspora.

Don’t know but can’t see them working parallel with police considering the function of this “Police Service” is under investigation worldwide.

Revealed in Canada, Chinese 'overseas police stations' now being investigated in Europe

Three addresses in Toronto are registered as 'service stations' operated by the Fuzhou Public Security Bureau, a police force in China

nationalpost.com

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/china-us-stations-canada-1.6818889

“The United States has launched a crackdown on so-called Chinese police stations operating on its soil using a legal mechanism that doesn't exist in Canada, at least not yet — a registry of foreign agents.”

 

[AddyFinch]

I'm sure there are more people involved in this. Yes, chinese police spy police stations could be involved. Maybe she was forced into involvement?

 

[dotr]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/police-suspect-foul-play-in-disappearance-of-gta-lawyer-1.6818674

''On the night of March 3, in the middle of a treacherous snowstorm, Isabella Dan stepped out of her Markham, Ont., condominium and into a Porsche Cayenne parked out front.
Surveillance footage shows she got in willingly before the car drove off.
That was the last time the 53-year-old real estate lawyer was seen, and detectives have now confirmed to CBC News that they believe Dan has met with foul play.''

''Dan lived alone and, according to Coulson, did not have a significant other or any children, and her family lived in China.''

New details emerge in case of missing Markham lawyer who vanished amid legal battles

A missing Markham lawyer who investigators now suspect was met with foul play was embroiled in a number of legal battles and facing professional complaints at the time of her disappearance, recent court filings show.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

rbbm
''Emails presented in court show that, on March 17, Dan’s brother in China emailed the LSO in an attempt to locate his sister, stating his family was in “pain” and “very anxious."

''ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD, MISCONDUCT​

In its filings, the LSO said it has received three complaints regarding Dan and is investigating “allegations that Ms. Dan took client trust funds, acted in a conflict of interest, committed mortgage fraud, and has not accounted to clients for their money.”

At the time of her disappearance, Dan was also facing four ongoing civil lawsuits at Ontario's Superior Court involving allegations of fraudulent mortgages taken out on Toronto-area properties, filed as recently as December 2022.

None of the claims have been proven in court.

Statements of claim filed as recently as October 2022 deny any negligence on Dan’s behalf.

"Dan denies that she was negligent in any way or that she breached any duties owed to the plaintiff," the most recent statement says. "In representing and advising the plaintiff, Dan at all times exercised the requisite degree of care and skill."