Federal government will keep $800K in property seized from Hells Angels

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This article was published 20/01/2016 (3724 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The federal government will get to keep more than $800,000 in property seized from the former president of the Manitoba Hells Angels under proceeds-of-crime legislation.

A Court of Appeal ruling this week upholds a previous decision from Queen’s Bench Justice Rick Saull which stated five items were legally taken from Dale Sweeney following his 2012 arrest in Winnipeg. They include a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Corvette, a Silverado, a boat and a trailer.

One of Sweeney’s friends, Hugo Heidinger, had stepped forward and claimed he was the rightful owner of that property and should have it returned immediately. He filed a motion stating he purchased the items, with cash, without any influence from Sweeney.

Saull rejected that claim, calling that version of events “late-coming and self-serving.” The province’s highest court has now supported that verdict.

“The sentencing judge was entitled to make the findings of credibility that he did and they are entitled to deference,” Justice Barbara Hamilton wrote in a decision released this week.

Several days of trial were held, including evidence from Heidinger and investigating officers, along with an examination of financial records. Saull called Heidinger nothing more than a “nominee” of Sweeney’s who tried to pull the wool over the court’s eyes.

Sweeney’s assets were frozen following his arrest in Project Flatlined, a Winnipeg police crackdown of a large dial-a-dealer operation. He is serving 11 years in prison.

In addition to the five items his friend claimed to own, the government also took possession of Sweeney’s house.

At least some, if not all, of the property has already been sold by the federal government at auction. The net proceeds then go into a federal fund that deals with these types of forfeiture matters.

www.mikeoncrime.com