- Bio
- Education
- Professional Affiliations and Credentials
- Publications & Speeches
- Reported Decisions
- Representative Cases
- Contact
Norman is a lawyer licenced through the Law Society of Ontario. Norman’s legal career began in policing in 1985 at the age of 18. Norman attended university in 1993 graduating with distinction in Economics in 1995, and then a law degree in 1998. In 1999 Norman authored the book Canadian Law and Private Investigations. Norman was called to the bar in 2000. Norman created Investigation Counsel PC – Canada’s only boutique fraud recovery law firm – in 2007.
Since 2007 Norman has investigated and prosecuted numerous fraud cases both domestically and internationally. Investigation Counsel PC has grown as a firm and gained a strong reputation in the Courts for thorough investigations and aggressive prosecutions. The firm’s practice focuses on Norwich (production) orders, Mareva (asset freezing) injunctions, and Anton Piller (private search warrant) orders. Investigation Counsel PC has made numerous fraud recoveries. Where recoveries have not been made, Investigation Counsel PC has successfully prosecuted contempt proceedings resulting in the incarceration of rogues who failed to disclose their stolen assets.
Norman’s passion for fraud investigations began in his policing career. This passion evolved into fraud recovery and prosecutions through Investigation Counsel PC and continues to this day. The firm only acts for victims of fraud – the firm does not take the defence side on fraud cases. Norman and three other lawyers at Investigation Counsel PC are Certified Fraud Examiners. Norman has developed a significant network of investigative specialists which assist fraud prosecutions.
Norman receives consultation requests from peer lawyers and law enforcement frequently. Norman acts as the ‘Independent Supervising Solicitor’ for other law firms for private search orders (Anton Piller orders). Norman is also a sought-after speaker at conferences on fraud recovery issues. Norman blogs frequently on fraud recovery issues under the series “What Fraud Victims Should Know…” – offering common-sense and ‘down-to-earth’ advice on navigating the complex investigative and legal process unique to fraud recovery cases.
Representative cases and media interviews are available upon request
Ontario Police College 1987 to 1995
- Basic Training – 1987 / Intermediate Training – 1989 / Advanced Training – 1995
Wilfried Laurier University 1992 to 1995
- Economics Major
- Graduated with Distinction
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 1995
- Certification Course – certified 1995 to present
Canadian Securities Institute 1995
- Canadian Securities Course
University of Western Ontario 1995 to 1998
- Bachelor of Laws / LLB
- Labour Law Award
- Canadian Bar Association
- Bar Association of Ontario,
- Association of Certified Forensic Investigators – Director – CFI designation
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners – CFE designation
- Council of International Investigators – CII designation
- Canadian Association of Special Investigation Units
Canadian Law and Private Investigations , by Norman J. Groot – 2001
- Canada’s first academic textbook for the private investigation industry
Canadian Fraud News Inc. – Canada’s Weekly Newsletter on Breaking Fraud Cases
Investigation Counsel PC Blogs
- Blog Series – Legal Research on Fraud Recovery Cases – What Fraud Victims Should Know About …
- Saeed v. Nojoumi, 2023 ONSC 4893 – Persian Community $10M Investment Fraud – Anton Piler order (private search warrant) and Mareva injunction (asset preservation)
- 1999269 Ontario Limited et al v. Aguiar et al, 2023 ONSC 787 / 2023 ONSC 3135 / 2024 ONSC 835 – Mareva Injunction – $27M – investment fraud commenced in Canada – letters rogatory in Uruguay
- Hart v. Balice, 2022 ONCA 787 – defending police against vexatious litigant – striking of pleadings
- RICO Enterprises Pty Ltd v. TD Canada Trust, 2022 ONSC 4558 – commercial fraud – Australian company with losses in Canada – Norwich (Tracing) Application
- Path Network, Inc. v. Farooqui, 2022 ONSC 863 / 2023 ONSC 6921– employee theft of corporate property – internet economic terror – general injunction and Anton Piller order (private search warrant)
- 213 Sterling Inc. v. National Bank of Canada, 2022 ONSC 361 – email compromise, bank fraud – recovery of $2.1 of $2.6M – crypto tracing – banker negligence – Mareva injunction
- Agha v. Khan et al., 2022 ONSC 2552 – real estate investment fraud – striking defence of rogue
- F. v. F., 2021 ONSC 7969 – abuse of inheritance by young adult children – Mareva injunction
- Krizmanich v. Vincent, 2021 ONSC 8484 – relationship fraud – summary trial
- Franco v. TD Canada Trust, 2021 ONSC 7237 – relationship fraud – Norwich (tracing) application
- Bacchus v. Munn, 2021 ONSC 5820 – escort fraud – document production
- Wallace v. Pristine Developments, 2021 ONSC 2794 – contractor fraud – Mareva injunction
- Woods v. Jahangiri, 2021 ONSC 318 / 2020 ONSC 7658 – real estate fraud – Mareva injunction
- 1805753 Ontario Inc. v. Feldman, 2020 ONSC 5601 – investment fraud – Anton Piller order and Mareva injunction – execution of private search warrants during the COVID era
- Gennett Lumber Co. v. John Doe a.k.a. Milton Harvey et al., 2019 ONSC 1345 – construction contractor fraud – punitive damages
- R. v. Nowack, 2019 ONSC 5345 – foreign exchange fraud – criminal sentencing
- 2363523 Ontario Inc. v. Nowack, 2018 ONCA 414 – foreign exchange fraud – security for costs
- Boroni et al. v. Polidoro et al., 2018 ONSC 6631 / 2017 ONSC 4447 – investment fraud – contempt of court – incarceration for failing to disclose assets
- Devathasan v. Ablacksingh, 2018 ONSC 7557 – legal representation fraud – contempt of court – sentencing – punitive damages
- Al-Thamer v. Bakhtiyari, 2018 BCSC 1526 – real estate fraud – Kuwait plaintiffs – recovery in Vancouver
- 2363523 Ontario Inc. v. Nowack, 2017 ONSC 5240 – foreign exchange fraud – contempt sentencing
- Neutrade Ltd. v. Hantsis, 2017 ONSC 5546 – investment fraud – occurred in Russian with funds traced to Canada – security for costs
- 2363523 Ontario Inc. v. Nowack, 2016 ONCA 951 – appeal of contempt sentencing
- 2363523 Ontario Inc. v. Nowack, 2016 ONSC 2518 – foreign exchange fraud – contempt sentencing
- Best v. Ranking, 2015 ONSC 6269 – defence to investigators accused of malicious prosecution
- Mining Technologies International, Inc. v. Krako Inc., 2013 ONSC 7280 – investment fraud – judgment
- Mining Technologies v. Krako, 2011 ONSC 6914 – international investment fraud – Mareva injunction – choice of jurisdiction – tracing in UK – injunction in USA – trial in Canada
- Teskey v. Toronto Transit Commission, 2003 CanLII 14875 – defence of investigation negligence
We have successfully obtained numerous Norwich tracing orders, Mareva (asset preservation) injunctions, Anton Piller (private search and evidence and asset preservation) orders, Certificate of Pending Litigation orders, and other injunction and asset tracing and preservation orders. The vast majority of decisions from our cases are unreported as we obtain court file sealing orders for tracing or sensitive information purposes. Examples of such orders and endorsements are available upon request.
