'Time to move on' condo board says after Silveri charges withdrawn

The president of the Premier Village condominium board says the group is "disappointed" the criminal charges against North Bay businessman Renzo Silveri, 58, have been withdrawn but it's "time to move on."

Christine Lackmanec tells BayToday, "We have to respect what the Crown is saying — and the courts — there's not much more we can do. The OPP and the Crown did a good job, that's all I can say."

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

Justice Erin Lainevool granted the Crown attorney's request in the Ontario Court of Justice, Thursday, to withdraw all the charges Silveri was facing, including 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All the withdrawn charges were related to local real estate development Premier Village by the Lake and were laid by the Ontario Provincial Police in June 2020. The Crown indicated the chances of conviction were unlikely in making the request.

In the summer of 2020, facing CPA of Ontario professional misconduct charges in addition to the 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."

The Silveri family declined to comment on the recent developments in court.

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.