In the wake of a 2019 murder, law enforcement officers conducted a search at the residence of Charalambos Theologou, the individual fatally shot inside a crowded Starbucks in Laval, Quebec, last week. During the search, police discovered a substantial amount of cash, a bulletproof vest, and financial documents indicating Theologou’s participation in unlawful activities. These financial documents, depicted in a search warrant report reviewed by CBC, detail individuals indebted to Theologou, including his associates, some identified by aliases, and notably, the names of restaurants in the Montreal area.
The financial records and the apparent link between Theologou and the 2019 homicide highlight the extent of his alleged engagement in both extortion and criminal enterprises, which ultimately culminated in his assassination in broad daylight. While Theologou’s criminal convictions, ranging from drug trafficking to conspiracy and firearm possession, date back to the early 2010s and earlier, recent search warrant evidence portrays him as the leader of a significant and operational drug trafficking network.
Referred to as Bobby the Greek, Theologou led a gang known as the Chomedey Greeks and played a pivotal role in extorting restaurant owners for protection money, as disclosed by Radio-Canada. The murder investigation in 2019 brought Theologou to the attention of the police. Following the shooting of Michail Michakis, a 35-year-old individual involved in drug trafficking and reportedly a runner for Theologou, law enforcement connected Michakis’s demise to organized crime, prompting the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), Quebec’s provincial police force, to take over the inquiry.
In the wake of the homicide, SQ officers conducted searches at Theologou’s upscale home and townhouse in Laval. At the residence, they seized nearly $19,000 in cash, financial records inscribed on a Hilton hotel notepad, and a bulletproof vest. The townhouse search yielded 366 bags of cocaine, $4,100 in cash, and 4,640 euros. Despite police attempts to engage with Theologou, he declined to cooperate. An SQ investigator, in an affidavit, noted a significant mismatch between Theologou’s lifestyle, assets, and his officially declared income.
The financial records disclosed over 50 debtors, all purportedly indebted to Theologou, with some linked to restaurants and businesses in the Montreal vicinity. While some debtors owed sums exceeding $200,000, the average indebtedness was closer to $10,000. To prevent associating the establishments with criminal undertakings, CBC refrains from disclosing the restaurant names. Apart from leading a drug trafficking network and engaging in loan sharking, Theologou and others evaded charges related to Michakis’s murder or the cocaine stash uncovered at his residence.
Recent revelations indicate that undercover police officers shadowing Theologou were present inside the Starbucks during the shooting incident where Theologou and two associates were targeted, resulting in Theologou’s demise while the associates survived. The SQ mentioned that a torched vehicle discovered in Montreal’s east end is linked to the shooting incident. A 2013 Parole Board of Canada ruling highlighted Theologou’s drug dealing activities in prison during his sentence for drug trafficking and firearm possession, underlining his affinity for wealth and luxury with minimal prospects for reform, as per his Case Management Team’s assessment.
