A former Air Canada manager wanted for his alleged role in a $20 million gold heist, the largest in Canadian history, is preparing to turn himself in, his lawyer told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. on Friday.
Simran Preet Panesar is accused of being involved in the April 2023 theft at Toronto’s Pearson Airport.
His lawyer, Greg Lafontaine, told CBC that Panesar was out of the country, but did not say where. Lafontaine said he informed authorities that Panesar intended to voluntarily return to the country in the coming weeks to turn himself in.
“He is eager to have the opportunity to prove his absolute innocence,” Lafontaine said.
Lafontaine told CBC that Panesar is very confident in the justice system and that “when this trial is finished, he will have been cleared of any wrongdoing.”
In April, police said they had arrested six people and were looking for three others.
The suspects, including two Air Canada employees, are accused of falsifying an airline invoice to steal a shipment arriving from Switzerland of 6,600 gold bars weighing 400 kg (882 pounds) and $2.5 million in foreign currency, police officials said.
Lafontaine’s office said it was unable to comment further.
Earlier this month, police said they had arrested and charged Archit Grover, another person allegedly involved in the gold theft.
