The Real Estate Council of B.C. has launched an investigation after a licensed agent was charged last week in a gangland kidnapping.
Nazfar Victoria Mirhadi, 28, a realtor since December 2006, is to appear in Vancouver Provincial Court today for a bail hearing.
She and six others some with gang links to the Red Scorpions and Independent Soldiers were charged after Vancouver police rescued a 29-year-old kidnapping victim in Richmond on Oct. 21.
Mirhadi has no criminal record, but is now facing charges of kidnapping, unlawful confinement and extortion.
Her brother, Mo Mirhadi, 21, was gunned down in 1997 at a North Vancouver movie theatre while watching Donnie Brasco. He had links to the Persian Pride gang.
There is an investigation based on the information related to the criminal charges, definitely, said Maureen Coleman, manager of compliance at the Real Estate Council.
She said it is hard to know how long the probe will take. What we look at when there are criminal charges is one, public risk, and two, their qualifications to be licensed under Section 10 of the Real Estate Act.
Section 10 of the act says a realtor must be of good reputation and suitable to be licensed at the level and in the category for which the applicant is applying and must not have criminal convictions.
Mirhadi is an agent with ABF Broadway Realty, in Vancouver.
Coleman said the brokerage company was unaware of the charges until she contacted it Monday.
The brokerage is seeking legal advice and last I heard they were trying to contact Naz, not realizing she was in custody, Coleman said.
Vancouver Police Insp. Brad Desmarais revealed details of the kidnapping at a news conference Friday.
He said the victim was snatched from a downtown restaurant Oct. 20 and taken to a Richmond business, where police set up surveillance.
Not long after, officers watched as a blindfolded male was led from the business and bundled into a car. The car shortly departed in company with a second vehicle, an SUV.
Teams were developing a hostage recovery plan when the car containing the man suddenly pulled over on Highway 91 in Richmond and the victim was pushed from the car.
Members of the VPD and RCMP reacted quickly, rescuing the man from the roadway.
He said investigators believe the motive to be financial and the kidnappers were working in concert with a larger organized crime group based in Eastern Canada.
