Court appearances set for Sept. 22–23, 2025; investigation continues

THUNDER BAY — September 18, 2025 | NetNewsLedger — The Ontario Provincial Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB), embedded with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), has charged two individuals in connection with suspicious OLG PROLINE betting activity at several gas bars in Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay.

On March 20, 2024, the IEB was contacted by OLG regarding irregular betting.

Investigators allege thousands of gift cards were compromised, leading to fraud exceeding $400,000.

Accused and Charges

Joshua SILVA, 36, of Thunder Bay

• Fraud over $5,000

• Laundering proceeds of crime

• Conspiracy

• Identity theft

• Forgery

• Utter forged document

• Possession of property obtained by crime

SILVA has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Monday, September 22, 2025.

Montgomery McMAHON, 45, of Thunder Bay

• Fraud over $5,000

• Laundering proceeds of crime

• Conspiracy

• Utter forged document

• Possession of property obtained by crime

McMAHON has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or remain anonymous via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

What Are the Potential Penalties? (Maximums Under the Criminal Code)

Important: The penalties below are statutory maximums. Actual sentences, if any, are determined by the court and depend on many factors.

• Fraud over $5,000 (s.380(1)(a)) — Indictable offence, up to 14 years in prison.

• Laundering proceeds of crime (s.462.31) — Hybrid; if by indictment, up to 10 years (or up to 14 years if linked to a criminal organization).

• Conspiracy (s.465) — Where the conspiracy is to commit an indictable offence, the person is liable to the same punishment as for that offence.

• Identity theft (s.402.2) — Hybrid; if by indictment, up to 5 years.

• Forgery (s.366–367) — Hybrid; if by indictment, up to 10 years.

• Uttering a forged document (s.368) — Hybrid; if by indictment, up to 10 years.

• Possession of property obtained by crime (s.354; punishment s.355) — If value over $5,000, hybrid; if by indictment, up to 10 years.

About the IEB

The IEB is an OPP division within the AGCO responsible for criminal, provincial, and regulatory investigations that support integrity and public safety across AGCO-regulated sectors.

Presumption of Innocence

All accused are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.