LATEST STORIES:
Jafarpour: SISO & workers victims of fraud, not just feds

(update)
Morteza Jafarpour railed on his former finance manager in court Wednesday. Jafarpour, the former executive director and Robert Salama, finance manager, are both accused of committing forgery, fraud, and conspiracy when they worked at Settlement and Integration Services Organization, or SISO, which helped immigrants and refugees adapt to life in Hamilton.
The trial is in its third week. Lisa Hepfner has been covering it for us and she has the details.
Jafarpour wrapped up his testimony in chief Wednesday morning and then, because Robert Salama is representing himself. He is his own lawyer. He was the first one to put questions to Jafarpour. But Jafarpour acted as if he had a lot to say to Salama, that had been building up for years.
Morteza Jafarpour unleashed a tirade at his former SISO financial director, Robert Salama. He said he never micromanaged Salama, because he had enough on his hands, and that he trusted Salama would act in the best interests of the organization. He agreed that he always maintained he would take the blame for his decisions as head of SISO, but…
“I will not take the bullet for the money you and Nese put in your account.”
“300 thousand dollars was unaccounted for on SISO credit card and ATM expenses. You failed to explain that.”
Earlier, court heard that Salama and another manager, Nese Burgaz, were depositing an extra two thousand to 25-hundred into their bank accounts every two weeks. They were the ones with control over SISO’s banking.
Jafarpour also said…
“The swimming pool? That money was supposed to go refugees and you bought a swimming pool? It’s time for you to take responsibility for your actions. At least show some remorse. Your actions have hurt a lot of people.”
Later, the lawyer for the crown established in his cross examination that Jafarpour was paid in two ways; regular salary and professional fees, a structure set up by the board of directors, adding up close to 200 thousand dollars. Jafarpour didn’t pay taxes on the professional fees, which he says was an oversight. But all the money paid to Jafarpour appears to have been approved and entered into the books.
Jafarpour will continue under cross examination Thursday, and his lawyer does plan to call two more witnesses. Salama hasn’t decided whether he’ll call witnesses but in any case it doesn’t look like the jury will start deliberating until the middle of next week.