RCMP nationwide safety officers had been ready for William Majcher when his flight from Hong Kong landed at Vancouver Worldwide Airport on July 18, 2023.
Inside an airport interview room, they questioned the previous Mountie for 5 hours, and once they had been carried out, Majcher stated he nonetheless wasn’t positive what it was about.
“I can’t say it was properly articulated,” Majcher instructed International Information in an unique interview, his first since his high-profile espionage trial ended final month.
“None of it made sense to me.”
On Could 13, a B.C. decide agreed, acquitting Majcher of a cost alleging he was a part of a Chinese language authorities overseas interference operation.
What started with sensational claims — that Majcher was serving to Beijing secretly lengthen its lengthy attain into Canada — ended with a whimper.
And as Prime Minister Mark Carney courts Beijing amid a U.S. commerce warfare, the botched case has raised questions concerning the power of Canada’s defences in opposition to China.
The investigation focused former cops whom the Canadian Safety Intelligence Service and the RCMP suspected had been providing their providers to Beijing.
It revolved round Majcher, a former RCMP inspector who left the nationwide police pressure in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong to work in banking and personal safety.
As a retired Mountie in enterprise in Hong Kong, Majcher stated he thought he had carried out every thing potential to maintain on the suitable aspect of Canada’s legal guidelines and pursuits.
Whereas he took jobs from Chinese language state-owned enterprises, he stated he by no means knowingly labored for the Chinese language state, its public safety bureau or police.
He helped CSIS when requested, and made positive the company knew what he was as much as. When he returned to Canada on enterprise, he disclosed his work to frame officers.
His candour, nevertheless, labored in opposition to him.
Amid politically damaging allegations in Ottawa about Chinese language overseas interference, Majcher was branded a Chinese language asset and a menace to Canada.
He turned one of many few ever arrested over allegations of Chinese language meddling in Canadian affairs. However the case left a key query unresolved: what’s overseas interference?
With the trial now behind him, Majcher instructed International Information he believes the RCMP and CSIS are proper to be apprehensive concerning the actions of overseas governments, whether or not China or India. However as a veteran RCMP officer, he anticipated higher from Canada’s nationwide safety system, and stated the case raised broader considerations.
“Canada needs to be very involved that that is the extent of investigative high quality that we will anticipate from our nationwide police pressure in one thing as important as nationwide safety,” Majcher stated.
He stated Canada wants competent intelligence and legislation enforcement. “And from the place I sit, we have now neither. That’s the biggest nationwide safety menace going through Canada.”
CSIS declined to remark. The RCMP stated in a press release that it could be reviewing the court docket’s determination on Majcher. Final week, federal prosecutors appealed Majcher’s acquittal.
However 1000’s of pages of paperwork reviewed by International Information present how a serious investigation involving a minimum of three federal departments and virtually 80 search warrants got here up quick.
Former RCMP officer William Majcher, throughout interview with International Information following acquittal on allegations he was Chinese language overseas interference agent.
International Information
An professional in monetary crimes, Majcher joined the RCMP in 1985 and went undercover inside drug cartels, posing as a banker who may launder their income.
He retired in 2007 and moved to Hong Kong to work for a service provider financial institution, after which an funding fund, earlier than beginning his personal agency, EMIDR, in 2015.
A cybersecurity firm, EMIDR bought concerned in asset restoration when a shopper requested Majcher to trace tens of millions stolen in a Bitcoin hack, he stated.
As a former police officer who had segued into personal safety, he exchanged details about stolen property with colleagues on the identical profession path, however it wasn’t a giant a part of his enterprise, he stated.
Largely, he supplied procurement, logistics and advisory providers, serving to banks and governments perceive monetary crime. “I’m a Jack-of-all-trades sort of man,” he instructed the RCMP following his arrest.
William Majcher at RCMP coaching depot, Regina, 1986.
Majcher additionally did extra secretive work. In 2011, CSIS approached him for assist in Asia, based on a 13-page doc he wrote that turned a part of the RCMP’s investigation.
A covert operations officer requested Majcher if he may arrange weapons caches for shifting sidearms throughout borders for the company, the doc stated.
Majcher thought it was potential and advised a location on the Indian Ocean, presumably Sri Lanka, however CSIS didn’t elevate the subject once more.
A number of months later, Canadian intelligence contacted him once more, the doc stated, this time about inserting CSIS personnel into Hong Kong companies.
The officer requested if Majcher would take into account using CSIS operatives to bolster their cowl tales, based on the doc.
However CSIS determined it didn’t have anybody certified, and recruited Majcher for the job, which concerned getting near Chinese language targets.
“I used to be ready to do my half,” Majcher wrote.
He met his CSIS handler in Canada and was later launched to the British secret intelligence service, MI-6, which was a part of the joint operation, he stated.
In Bangkok, Majcher was given a safe laptop computer and a briefing on the targets CSIS thought of “excessive worth,” he wrote.
The challenge wound down after lower than two years, based on the doc, and CSIS paid him in money, delivered in an envelope.
Majcher stated he had equally helped different members of the 5 Eyes alliance, which consists of not solely Canada but additionally the U.Ok., U.S., Australia and New Zealand.
CSIS declined to touch upon whether or not Majcher had labored for the company. However an RCMP report stated his account advised he could have been a CSIS asset between 2011 and 2015.
By the top 2018, the report continued, he was “presumably thought of a ‘menace’ to the safety of Canada as a result of his involvement within the case of Meng Wanzhou.”
Will Majcher in Beijing with delegation from Qatar, 2012.
A high govt of Chinese language tech big Huawei, Meng was taken into custody as she transited by way of Vancouver airport on Dec. 1, 2018.
America had issued a warrant for her arrest over her alleged dealings with Iran, and Canada held her for extradition.
As China ramped up stress on Ottawa to launch her, Majcher was contacted by Anbound, a Beijing assume tank, concerning the Meng affair.
Anbound needed him to journey to Vancouver and write a report on authorized methods surrounding Meng’s extradition. “It was very fundamental,” Majcher stated.
However then China raised the stakes by arresting two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who turned bargaining chips for Meng’s launch.
“And so I stated, OK, that is getting a bit extra delicate,” Majcher instructed International Information. “So I made an effort to inform the Canadian authorities, CSIS particularly, that I used to be coming to Canada and what it was about and if you wish to speak to me, I’m out there.”
As a result of Thailand had been his contact level with CSIS previously, he went to the Canadian embassy and instructed the CSIS officer concerning the Anbound project, and his suspicion the Chinese language authorities is perhaps behind it.
He stated he can be flying to Vancouver to meet the contract and was keen to make use of the chance to renew working for CSIS.
However the company didn’t take up his provide, nor did it elevate any considerations concerning the Anbound work, he stated, so he flew to Vancouver on Jan. 19, 2019.
Apparently flagged by CSIS previous to his arrival, he was questioned by the CBSA and once more defined that he was working for a Chinese language entity on the Meng case.
Based on the CBSA report on his interview, Majcher “revealed that he was requested by the Chinese language authorities to return to speak to some Canadian authorities officers.”
“He additionally said that a part of the rationale for his journey is due to the Huawei govt that was arrested in Vancouver,” the report stated.
“He said that the Chinese language authorities had consulted him concerning the state of affairs and court docket course of and the general state of affairs. The topic said that he has shut ties to the Chinese language authorities and that they’re absolutely conscious of his previous occupation.”
Majcher instructed International Information the CBSA report was incorrect, and the officer’s notes don’t make the identical allegations. He stated he by no means stated he was working for the Chinese language authorities, and had by no means knowingly carried out so.
A search of his luggage turned up nothing, and Majcher was allowed to proceed, however the journey, along with a go to to Toronto in Could, seems to have made him a goal.
Former RCMP officer William Majcher speaks to British Home of Lords cybersecurity group, February 2019.
On March 9, 2022, CSIS issued an Espionage Alert that known as Majcher a big “menace to Canada and Canadian nationwide pursuits.”
“He’s working as an asset of hostile intelligence menace actors within the Folks’s Republic of China,” the government-wide bulletin stated.
“Majcher continues to undertake intelligence-gathering actions in Canada on behalf of the PRC together with by leveraging contacts inside Canada,” it stated.
CSIS had made him out to be “Canada’s Kim Philby,” Majcher stated, referring to the infamous British intelligence officer who turned a Soviet double agent.
However Majcher stated he had carried out every thing possible to remain on the suitable aspect of Canadian nationwide safety businesses, making certain they had been knowledgeable of his work.
“And all I did was put a bullseye on my again,” he stated.
The investigation additionally dragged in Majcher’s Canadian contacts, notably RCMP officer Peter Merrifield and Paul McNamara, a former Vancouver police officer who had moved to the personal sector.
Merrifield stated he instantly discovered himself underneath investigation because of false intelligence and misplaced his high secret safety clearance, though he was finally exonerated.
“This case represents probably the most egregious instance of ‘proceed by affirmation bias’ of a nationwide safety investigation,” he stated.
“It’s a clear warning shot to Canada of the dearth of functionality in Canada’s nationwide safety businesses and infrastructure to separate and filter info from focused disinformation.”
McNamara had labored with Majcher when each had been cops, and though they saved in contact over time, he stated that they had no enterprise relationship.
However investigators famous that when Majcher had visited Vancouver to put in writing his report on Meng, he had met with McNamara.
McNamara labored for VXL Enterprise, an organization that protects U.S. diplomatic posts in Canada, however his safety clearance was revoked in 2021 and he misplaced his job.
He blamed CSIS for turning his friendship with Majcher and his personal 2019 go to to China to purchase a coaching pool for his daughter, a aggressive swimmer, right into a conspiracy.
“They absolutely believed that Majcher had this in-depth, evil community of cops working for him on the behest of China,” he instructed International Information.
“And it’s absolute rubbish,” he stated. “They mainly ship what they assume is that this huge espionage file involving Meng Wanzhou to the RCMP on Sept. 14th, 2021.”
RCMP officers interview witness throughout Venture Severo investigation into William Majcher.
Overseas interference was rising as a high precedence for the federal government when the RCMP took an curiosity in Majcher, amid reviews of Beijing’s tampering in Canadian life and politics.
Drowning in corruption, China launched Operation Fox Hunt to stage a present of monitoring down alleged financial criminals who had fled overseas with cash.
To persuade them to return to confess their guilt, Chinese language safety businesses resorted to harassment, threats and even kidnapping. CSIS suspected China was hiring attorneys and personal investigators to trace down a few of them in western international locations.
However Fox Hunt additionally used its anti-corruption drive as a canopy for silencing dissidents within the diaspora in Canada and elsewhere, in addition to to exhibit that China’s attain had no limits.
China’s actions had been an affront to Canada’s sovereignty, and the RCMP was answerable for stopping them, however the victims had been reluctant to return ahead. After which the RCMP discovered that CSIS was investigating a retired Mountie.
Based mostly on a tip from CSIS, the RCMP launched Venture Severo in 2021 to analyze Majcher’s alleged actions on behalf of the Chinese language state.
Particularly, CSIS pointed the RCMP to an Australian tv documentary on Operation Fox Hunt through which Majcher had appeared.
The documentary was a couple of Hong Kong firm that had employed former legislation enforcement officers to get better property allegedly stolen from China.
Within the broadcast, Majcher known as himself “a employed gun” who helped firms and governments “get again what’s rightfully theirs.”
Matcher instructed International Information he was enjoying for the cameras. “I can truly get appearing credit for these issues,” he stated.
He stated he knew learn how to “polish the apple” to make a narrative extra entertaining, however denied any involvement within the circumstances featured within the documentary.
To the RCMP’s Built-in Nationwide Safety Enforcement Staff in Quebec, nevertheless, the video was the place to begin for an investigation.
The RCMP felt that Majcher’s years of service to Canada’s nationwide police pressure had left him “a well-suited candidate” for China.
“Majcher had and has an intensive community of contacts throughout the legislation enforcement and nationwide safety group,” the RCMP wrote.
In a memo marked Secret, the RCMP’s Overseas Actor Interference Staff famous that Majcher additionally had “ongoing contact with RCMP members.”
These contacts “could wittingly or unwittingly” be offering help to Majcher’s “illegitimate and legit assist of the targets of the PRC,” it stated.
“The actions of Majcher are a menace to the sovereignty of Canada,” the RCMP wrote. “Venture Severo goals to analyze and neutralize that menace.”
To get search warrants, police instructed a Quebec decide they wanted to grab Majcher’s communications as a result of he reported to China’s Public Safety Bureau.
The RCMP additionally obtained warrants from the federal court docket to go looking the cellphone information of different former cops, together with McNamara, courting again to 2014, the yr Fox Hunt started.
“Majcher is well-connected to the Chinese language authorities,” the RCMP instructed the decide. “He has shut ties with the Chinese language authorities” and works at its “behest.”
Majcher known as these statements “completely false.”
The warrants present how the main target of the investigation had shifted from the Meng affair to Majcher’s supposed function in Operation Fox Hunt.
They famous that in 2017, Majcher had instructed a colleague in an electronic mail that he was concerned in negotiations with China to get better cash from somebody needed by China.
If the unnamed “goal” didn’t cooperate, there can be an extradition request, he wrote, however “we really feel he’s motivated … as we will assure him his passport and no jail time.”
Majcher instructed International Information he was working with a lawyer to find out whether or not anybody had a court docket declare in opposition to the suspect. As soon as they realized no such court docket proceedings had been initiated, they dropped it, he stated.
A yr into the investigation, the RCMP acquired a 13-page report Majcher had written that spelled out his work for CSIS. Majcher had given it to Merrifield, a serving RCMP officer, who gave it to the investigation crew.
The event “may have detrimental results on the present investigation,” the RCMP wrote in a high secret report that stated police wanted to make clear with CSIS whether or not Majcher had certainly labored for the company.
“These questions, if left unanswered, finally threaten the RCMP’s ongoing investigation into Majcher,” the RCMP report stated.
Whether or not CSIS responded will not be defined within the paperwork. Former CSIS govt Dan Stanton stated he discovered Majcher’s account onerous to consider.
“The speak about gun caches out of the country, and terminology like property. That’s sort of a Hollywood phrase. It simply appears a little bit unbelievable to me.”
However the paperwork present that on July 15, 2023, the RCMP discovered that Majcher was coming to Canada and determined to arrest him.
The choice was prompted partly by considerations that information of the investigation was starting to unfold. Majcher himself had already bought wind of it from a information reporter.
“The arrest of Majcher will be certain that public curiosity is upheld,” the RCMP wrote in its determination, including it could additionally put an finish to “the continued conspiracy.”
RCMP officer, left, in interview room throughout questioning of William Majcher, Richmond, B.C., July 18, 2023.
Within the interview carried out after Majcher’s arrest, the officer talked about Operation Fox Hunt and stated that a few of these focused had been in Canada.
He talked about the Australian documentary about Fox Hunt targets who had been threatened, and stated, “We consider the identical is occurring right here in Canada.”
“Your identify got here up for a number of incidents,” the officer stated. “Do we have now the correct info, or are we simply being fed the improper info?”
“I’ve not carried out something illegal,” Majcher responded.
The RCMP interviews had been a “fishing journey,” Majcher instructed International Information. Names like Meng Wanzhou had been talked about, however it was obscure and disconnected.
“‘We’re listening to issues, we’re choosing up on some issues.’ ‘OK, properly, why don’t you inform me then what particularly you’re involved in?’” he stated, describing the conversations.
“And I requested repeatedly, ‘Are you able to clarify to me what are the weather of the offence? I imply, I’m simply not understanding what you assume I’ve carried out,’” he stated. “All of the investigator would do is simply learn the cost.”
The fees alleged that Majcher had been a part of an effort to compel a Fox Hunt goal, Kevin Solar, to return to China in 2017.
Beijing had accused Solar of shifting to Canada with tens of tens of millions he had allegedly pilfered from the Industrial Business Financial institution of China.
The RCMP idea was that Chinese language authorities had despatched Majcher to Vancouver to “establish and intimidate” Solar so he would return to China.
Majcher denies that and instructed International Information he had by no means as soon as labored for China. “I’ve no relationship, no direct relationship. By no means have.”
“I do know individuals who say they know individuals. I imply, it’s the previous daisy chain,” he stated. “I’m not hiding something. I instructed the reality.
“They usually selected to disregard it.”
Former RCMP officer William Majcher leaves B.C. Supreme Court docket in Vancouver, April 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck.
The trial was already falling aside by the point it started in April. The B.C. courts had dominated that Majcher’s arrest was illegal because it was based mostly on nothing greater than a “hunch.”
The court docket additionally tossed out the outcomes of the search of the house of one in all Majcher’s associates, Kim Marsh, a former RCMP officer together with his personal safety enterprise, as a result of police had no proof that any crime was dedicated.
The prosecution got here right down to a single electronic mail. The Crown closed its case after simply two days. The defence argued Majcher had carried out every thing by the ebook.
The decide dominated that the case was all inferences, and there was no proof Majcher had carried out any of the issues the Crown was alleging.
It was Canada’s newest failed prosecution underneath the Safety of Info Act, which was Ottawa’s legislative response to overseas interference.
Earlier circumstances alleging a Canadian House Company worker and a authorities contractor had labored illicitly for China equally fell aside, whereas a call on one other is pending.
McNamara stated the Majcher investigation ought to have ended when the proof contradicted the RCMP’s idea about former cops doing China’s soiled work.
“Overseas interference is an actual factor. It’s all the time going to be there, it’s going to occur, and we will’t dictate what different international locations are going to attempt to do to Canada,” he stated.
“However what we will management is how strong and environment friendly our intelligence and policing providers are. And having gone by way of this explicit case, if that is the extent of intelligence and incompetence we have now to combat overseas interference or espionage, the offending nation will not be the problem, it’s our lack of ability to defend ourselves.”
For its half, the RCMP stated that many former members transfer into the personal sector, and they aren’t barred from working for overseas governments.
“Nevertheless, any such work should adjust to Canadian legal guidelines that defend nationwide safety and authorities info — they have to not have interaction in actions that hurt Canada’s pursuits,” the RCMP stated.
“If these obligations are breached, people could face investigation and penalties underneath federal legislation, together with prison fees.”
However the case in opposition to Majcher suggests Canada’s nationwide safety equipment isn’t clear concerning the distinction between legitimately working for a overseas state and interesting in overseas interference. The place is the road?
And if police and intelligence investigators don’t know, how are their former colleagues who’ve moved on to the personal sector presupposed to know?
“On this case, the definition of overseas interference truly raises extra questions than solutions. There doesn’t appear to be a transparent line,” stated Fabian Dawson, a Vancouver investigative journalist.
Dawson stated authorized and accounting corporations have been implicated in pressuring fugitives in Canada on behalf of the Chinese language authorities, however none have been charged.
“So why did they decide this explicit file to go forward and show that they’re exhibiting that Canada is critical about overseas interference?” stated Dawson, who has written extensively concerning the case.
He believes a public inquiry is required to make sure nationwide safety investigations are usually not politically pushed and to point out Canada is critical about overseas interference.
“I do assume that classes should be discovered from this. We’d like an inquiry. To not discover blame. We’d like a inquiry to ensure this doesn’t occur once more.”
Earlier than returning to Hong Kong, Majcher instructed International Information the prosecution had been a “horrific method to lose three years of your life.”
“I had spent, at that time, 18 years build up my model in Hong Kong, my community, and in a single fell swoop, the half-wits took it away,” he stated.
Final yr, he sued the RCMP and CSIS for what his assertion of declare alleges was a malicious prosecution, which he suspects relied on a witness he known as unreliable.
Majcher stated his companies had suffered, and he had spent “some huge cash” defending himself, however most significantly, he misplaced treasured time together with his children.
“I’ve been robbed of three years, and there must be accountability,” he stated. “Not as a result of it occurred to me, however as a result of it even occurred in any respect.”
