OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 7, 2025 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is launching a National Special Advisory Group pilot program for its Integrated Market Enforcement Team (IMET). The new program expands on the success of the Toronto IMET's original pilot that brought timely and relevant expert advice to various ongoing criminal investigations of capital market-related criminal misconduct.

The IMET program was created in 2003 as part of the Government of Canada's strategy for enhanced protection of Canadian capital markets. There are four IMET offices across Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver). The IMET program aims to maintain investor confidence in Canadian capital markets by deterring fraud through the enhanced detection, enforcement and prosecution of serious market fraud offences.

The National Special Advisory Group Pilot Project members will provide real-time expert advice on selected investigations at the four IMET offices. National Special Advisory Group members were selected based on their extensive background in securities law, forensic accounting, the regulation of capital markets and law enforcement.

Today, the RCMP announced the establishment of the National Special Advisory Group and appointed the following four members: 

Peter Lambertucci – Director, Security Risk Management Office, Bank of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. After a 31-year career, Mr. Lambertucci retired from the RCMP as a Superintendent, Assistant Criminal Operations Officer. Mr. Lambertucci held senior roles in financial crime investigations, including capital market-related criminal misconduct, national security and money laundering. Mr. Lambertucci served on two diplomatic assignments to Malaysia and Australia over a five-year period. Mr. Lambertucci brings experience in capital market fraud investigations, domestically and internationally, from a police and private sector perspective.

Lawrence E. Ritchie – Partner, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Toronto, Ontario. Mr. Ritchie is a securities litigation lawyer with extensive experience in securities law, particularly in relation to enforcement. Mr. Ritchie represented various high-profile clients and appeared before numerous administrative tribunals and at all levels of court in Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada. He served as a full-time Vice Chair at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) for a seven-year period. Mr. Ritchie was also the Executive Vice President and Senior Policy Advisor for the Canadian Securities Transition Office, a member of the expert panel that recommended the establishment of Ontario's Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) and until December 2023, served on FSRA's board of directors. He is a frequent speaker and author covering capital market and financial fraud enforcement topics, and is an adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Alan Stewart – Partner, Deloitte LLP, Toronto, Ontario. Mr. Stewart is the former Chief Operating Officer of Deloitte Financial Advisory and the former National Leader of Deloitte Forensic which provides Financial Crime, Discovery and Disputes services. He has more than 30 years of experience in forensic accounting and corporate investigations. Mr. Stewart is a qualified expert witness who has provided critical evidence on some of the most complex and high-profile investigations in Canada, including several security-related regulatory and criminal investigations.

Bryce Tingle KC – Holds the N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law at the University of Calgary and is a member of the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) in Calgary, Alberta. Mr. Tingle has more than 30 years experience as a corporate finance lawyer. He currently serves as the board chair of several private technology and asset management companies. Mr. Tingle has been Director of the Financial Markets Regulation Programme at the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy, a member of the Ontario Securities Commission's Exempt Markets Committee and the ASC's Securities Advisory Committee. 

The first meeting of the RCMP IMET National Special Advisory Group is scheduled to take place on January 14, 2025.

At the end of the 12-month pilot project, the RCMP will assess whether the National Special Advisory Group should become a permanent initiative.

Fast Facts:

• Integrated Market Enforcement Teams are led by the RCMP and investigate criminal misconduct involving capital markets that harms the economic interests of Canadians. These teams are multi-disciplinary and composed of police officers, forensic accountants, lawyers and other investigative experts.
• Officers chosen for deployment with an Integrated Market Enforcement Team are highly qualified financial investigators. They receive extra market-related training and stay informed with the latest techniques and legal developments in their field.
• Teams are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, but investigate across the country. Partners include:
  • Finance Canada
  • Justice Canada
  • Public Prosecution Service Canada
  • Public Safety Canada
  • Members from securities regulators
  • Members from the Forensic Accounting Management Group
  • Members from law enforcement agencies of local jurisdictions
  • Representatives of other federal enforcement agencies

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Management