4 — Sunday. August 8, 1999 - North Shore News Anna Mazie D'Angelo News Reporter dangclo@nsnew.com A former North Vancouver bookkeeper whe nearly bankrupted a family business and fled Canadian justice has received two years of probation. Ramin Nafisi, who has changed his name to Ramon Ferrer de Ariba, pleaded guilty Friday 10 stealing $51,568 from Perestroika Products Ltd. The crime took place over a five-month period in 1992. B.C. Supreme Court Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dobm sentenced Natisi, 31, to a suspended sentence with two years’ probation. Nafisi was required to pay Perestroika Products 30,000 British pounds which the court was told was in a trust account of an English law firm. “] think the less said here, the better,” said Dohm in passing sentence. He did not go into the background of the case or the reason for his deci- sion, The judge also did not read a binder of previous court findings and other information presented to him during sentencing. Nafisit became Perestroika Products part-time bookkcep- er just when the fledgling Russian dumpling manufae- turer made enough money to pay living expenses for “the four family members who owned it, according to Crown lawyer Teresa Mitchell-Banks. Nafisi did not have signing for authority, oo bue prepared Perestroika cheques. He received $400 a month for his work. Months later the family members continued working, 15-hour days, secmed to be making money, but had no money in the bank, said the Crown. They discovered that 35 forged cheques were made out by Nafist for $51,568. Nafisi was charged with theft in November 1992. He told police there was a “mis- understanding.” The next month his Norwegian wite and their two children left Canada. Nafisi “vacated his townhouse” and was selling his car when North Vancouver Mounties arrested him again in January 1993. He was released from custody and ordered to turn in his passport to the court the next day. Instead, Nafisi fled to Norway via Spain. t Cottm, f TRANSMISSION SINCE 1962 scam Norwegian police contact- ed "Nats at his home in Norway in July 1993. He was told the RCMP wanted to extradite him. Three muaths later, on a second = visit, Norwegian police found chat Nafisi had moved to England. In 1996, Nafist showed up at the Chicago airport: with Canadian travel documents. He was there for a job inter- view, American customs of f- cial quickly found out Nafisi Was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant. It was a Friday and a spe cial warrant issued through Canada to detain Natisi in the United States was not avail- able during the weekend. “The Americans did not want to wait,” said Mitchell- Banks. They sent him back to England. A year later, Canadian officials decided to extradite Nafisi from England. Last month after legal See Man page § Transmissions, 24 Ireamsmissions, i Trosmsmissions. (They're ail we think about) } Because transmissions are what wo do-and ali we do. Ask about our FREE TOWING © We honour Most Extended Warranties = iia eg 95 | cE 2, S24 Ni. VANCOUVER - (604) 907-0087 860 West 15th Street, Across from Dave Buck Ford Independently Owned & Operated » Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8-6 THE following are brief summaries of topics on the agendas of North Shore municipalities and school boards: North Vancouver District Council: Monday, August 9 at 7 p.m. — proclamation: Safe Communities Day (Aug. 15); delegations from GVRD regarding Capilano River Regional Park, park planning for the Cleveland dam area and GVRD Parks revenue generation and from the RCMP regarding red light intersection cameras; water- course nutsance, 2150 Badger Rd: proposed charter, District of North Vano and Vancouver Port Corp; devel- opment variance permits, 1787 MacGowan Ave., Lots C and PD (Seveuve Marina), 4132 Suaset Blyd., 983 Belvista Cres. and 1735 Peters Rd, minor development per- mic, 3980 Inlet Cres.; rezon- ing bylaw, Upper Lynn Elementary school: bylaw to establish speaking umes for council; beverage container return centres bylaw; Pemberton Heights neigh- bourhood zoning to prohibit sunken driveways and depressed parking structures; arts assistance grants; sport travel grant applications; 9-1- 1 services; neighbourhood traffic calming program and procedures; additional SeaBus terminal linking Maplewood with downtown Vancouver; gratuitous violence on TV; uniform sewage discharge policies for Indian Arm. North Vancouver City Council: Monday, August 9 at 6 p.m. —- proclamation: Sate Communities Day (Aug. 15); Statutory examinations, OCP amendment; rezoning application, seniors housing at 135/145 W. 15th Sr; child care on school sites; residen- tial development dedicated composting program, Larson school improvements; delega- tion re “Make A Splash” in the Year 2000, The Trans- Canada Trail Relay 2000; OCP amendment, land use designation; rezoning bylaws, 503-515 E. 3rd St. and 2528 Western Ave.; development variance permit re North Shore Auta Mall; fence encroachment at 442 E. 11th. West Vancouver District Council: The next council meeting is Monday, September 7. West Vancouver School District 45: The next board meeting will be in September. North Vancouver School District 44: The next board meeting will be in September. How far wiil you walk in your life? rh h eH wb ae We oe We re ae 8 We THE AVERAGE PERSON WALKS 184,000 KM IN THEIR LIFEYIME We welcome you to a clinic near you for a ten minute computerized gail and pressure analysis test. This test maxtsures the weight distribution along the bouom of your foot while you are walking. Digital information and our doctors clinical exam cin then be used to atke proscription enhotics, to comect many abnormal foot functions if you have pain in your feet, ankles, knees of lower back, plese contict a clinic near you for a gait and pressure andysis test. Come walk with us www.footmaxx.cort Delbrook otics 987-7100 Public assistance sought to keep Deep Cove clean | Panorama Beach (at Deep Cove) is experiencing closures to swimmers due to high faecal coliform readings. Water is acceptable for swimming if readings are under 200, however readings in the area have exceeded acceptable levels this “Jensen adds. “That's where the oublic can help". The ‘District’ : has checked the sanitary. sewer’ |). system’ for leaks, and. District crews regularly clean up dog and goose faeces from the park. The public can also help by: — * Cleaning up after : your dog. : Left unattended, animal waste . often ends up in the storm. “ sewers that empty directly into”. Deep Cove. This isa | particular concern with recent . heavy : rains. * Do not discharge waste from. boats into Deep Cove. summer. The high faecal coliform level is due to a number of factors, including faeces from dogs and geese. The District of North Vancouver has undertaken a program over the past few years to reduce water pollution in the Cove. "Deep Cove is sheltered," says District. Customer Service and Projects Section Manager Len - Jensen. “Material that gets into the water tends to stay in Deep Cave." “Our clean-up program has.’ reduced faecal coliform levels in’. recent years," adds Jensen. "And — oS public awareness will help to” keep levels down in the future." For more information, please - : cali 990-2450. "Our solution is to reduce the pollution levels by keeping everything as clean as possible,"