Evasive brokerage owner claims ignorance about investigation

REMAX Right Choice Inc. in North York has had all of its accounts frozen amid a Real Estate Council of Ontario investigation into mismanaged funds, but the brokerage owner claims this is all news to him.

When reached by phone, Right Choice brokerage owner Jalil Hajimir said he had not even been contacted by RECO.

“I am not aware of anything,” Hajimir told REP. “Whatever I know is what you know.

“I haven’t received anything from RECO.”

“That’s a little bit hard to believe,” said Daniel Roukema, RECO’s spokesperson and senior advisor of external communications. “I can’t disclose what I’m privy to, but I know that executing this kind of stuff can’t happen without the brokerage being informed about what’s going on.”

Roukema says RECO launched an investigation last week and uncovered financial irregularities, and issued a freeze order on all of Right Choice’s bank accounts. Notably at risk are customers’ deposits, but when asked if sales agents’ commissions could have been embezzled as well, Roukema strongly inferred that any money with a claim on it in the brokerage’s bank accounts could be compromised.

“I think that if there’s financial irregularities, I think anybody who has deposited money with them in trust could be at risk,” he said. “I can’t say who because I don’t have access to that information, but the whole reason we issued a freeze order was for that very purpose. The freeze order was put in to protect consumer deposits, so that way no further withdrawals can occur.”

REMAX Right Choice isn’t taking calls, but REMAX Integra, a REMAX sub-franchisor, released a statement admonishing the embattled brokerage:

"Right Choice Realty was terminated as a RE/MAX franchise on October 23, 2017, prior to the RECO investigation that is currently underway. At RE/MAX, we recognize that buying a home is one of the most important decisions a person can make. We pride ourselves on the values of honesty, fairness, and accountability and we support RECO in their efforts to protect consumers."

Compromised deposits are covered by RECO’s insurance program, and anybody who might have compromised funds or other queries with Right Choice is encouraged to call RECO.