Four Quebec men face fraud charges after a three-year SPVM probe into alleged property title theft
Four men have been arrested in Montreal and Quebec City following a major fraud investigation, with authorities alleging the group extracted more than $4.5 million from financially distressed homeowners across Quebec.
The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) Economic Crimes Section opened the probe in 2023, with arrests made Thursday morning on warrants.
Those taken into custody are Mickael Abraham Barchichat, 44; Michael Moscovici, 44; Marc-André Fortier, 43; and Olivier Perez, 40. The investigation covers approximately 20 alleged incidents involving real estate fraud and a separate vehicle rental scheme.
According to police, the group lured targets by placing online advertisements offering debt relief and financial problem-solving services, a tactic calibrated to reach homeowners already under financial strain.
Once trust was secured, victims were brought to a notary, where police say they "unknowingly signed documents transferring ownership of their property."
Affected properties spanned multiple Quebec municipalities, including Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Longueuil, L'Épiphanie, Sorel, Lambton, and Sainte-Praxède in the Eastern Townships.
A Kitchener‑based RE/MAX brokerage faces fresh scrutiny over anti‑money laundering controls after Canada’s financial intelligence unit imposed a five‑figure penalty tied to risk‑assessment gaps.https://t.co/R5vCeaugaf
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) May 6, 2026
A predatory playbook brokers must recognise
Barchichat faces the broadest charges: fraud exceeding $5,000, use of forged documents, and conspiracy. He appeared in court Thursday by videoconference.
The three remaining suspects were released on conditions pending future court appearances.
Barchichat is also accused in a parallel vehicle lease scheme, where police allege he used stolen identities to obtain long-term lease agreements from a Montérégie-area dealership. Those victims only discovered the fraud when credit card companies contacted them over unpaid balances.
The Montreal arrests add to a national enforcement picture that includes a recent Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) enforcement action against an Ontario brokerage over falsified documents and identity irregularities.
FSRA also initiated 100 enforcement actions, up from 65 a year earlier, and imposed about $1.2 million in administrative monetary penalties, most of them in mortgage brokering.
Read more: Mortgage fraud: The emerging warning signs brokers need to spot
Meanwhile, a vast majority of Canadians believe mortgage fraud is undermining trust in the housing market and driving up costs for honest buyers.
The online survey, conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights for Mortgage Professionals Canada (MPC) and the Mortgage and Title Insurance Industry Association of Canada (MTIIAC), found that 78% of respondents agreed mortgage fraud creates an unfair playing field, while 64% said it inflates housing prices.
“Mortgage fraud not only undermines trust, it drives up housing costs for everyone,” said Lauren van den Berg, President and CEO of MPC.
SPVM is advising the public to consult a trusted person before signing financial documents and to conduct due diligence on anyone offering financial assistance.
Victims can file a complaint at any local police station or contact Info-Crime Montréal confidentially at 514-393-1133.
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