Silveri case will have preliminary inquiry beginning late September

North Bay businessman Renzo Silveri appeared virtually alongside his attorney Alan D. Gold in the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay, Tuesday morning.

Justice Erin J. Lainevool set hearing dates for a total of four-and-a-half days between September 28 and October 1, plus November 12 for an in-person preliminary inquiry in North Bay, with Justice Catherine Mathias McDonald presiding. A preliminary inquiry determines whether there is sufficient Crown evidence to proceed to a trial.

Silveri verbally acknowledged those dates when prompted by the judge. He is facing seven counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of theft over $5,000, one count of criminal breach of trust and five counts of falsifying books and documents. All the charges are related to the local real estate development of Premier Village by the Lake and were laid by the Ontario Provincial Police in June 2020.

In the summer of 2020, finding himself facing CPA of Ontario professional misconduct charges in addition to the recent criminal charges, Silveri released a statement saying he would be exonerated. "I ask the community to reserve judgment and not take at face value all that is rumoured about these charges."

See related story: Silveri victim of a 'coup' says lawyer

In a separate, non-criminal hearing held in October 2020, Silveri received a fine of $25,000 from the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Ontario after a finding of professional misconduct by a disciplinary committee relating to his involvement in the same Premier Road condominium corporation.