The Slow Unraveling of a Corrupted Thread

There is a certain architecture to a corruption case—the slow assembly of facts, the careful reading of wiretaps, the moment when a person who once wore a badge admits that the line was crossed. In Toronto, that architecture has produced another guilty plea, another name entered into a record that continues to grow.

Const. Elias Mouawad, 25, pleaded guilty Monday to unauthorized access of a computer, one of the charges stemming from the sprawling police corruption investigation known as Project South. The Crown withdrew a second charge of breach of trust .

According to an agreed statement of facts read in Ontario Superior Court, Mouawad accessed a device in a police cruiser to search for a license plate on January 19. He had been asked to do so by a former employer for whom he had worked as a security guard—but the court heard he was unaware of who the information would be shared with or for what purpose .

That former employer, Daljit Singh, is the director of a Mississauga private security company and is himself charged in Project South. The information Mouawad provided was passed from Singh to Brian Da Costa, an accused drug trafficker alleged to have played a central role in the case. Investigators allege Da Costa routinely disseminated confidential police information to organized crime networks .

The agreed statement distanced Mouawad from the most serious allegations in the probe, which include an alleged plot to assassinate a Toronto jail official. Crown Attorney Samuel Walker told the court there was no evidence Mouawad knew the other officers charged, or that he intended to engage in future misconduct. He admitted his actions in an interview with police following his February arrest and provided full access to his devices .

Mouawad could be seen wiping away tears during the proceedings, while his mother wept as the details were read. His lawyer, Peter Brauti, described the single unauthorized check as "unrelated to all of these allegations of drug dealing, corruption, [attempted] murder." The Crown is seeking a four-month conditional sentence, including two months of house arrest, followed by twelve months of probation. The defense has asked for a conditional discharge .

Project South began in June 2025 when York Regional Police thwarted an alleged plot to kill a senior corrections officer. In total, six Toronto police officers, one retired constable, and nineteen civilians face charges . Mouawad is the second officer to plead guilty. Sentencing is expected on October 19.

AI Image Disclaimer: All visuals accompanying this article are AI-generated and do not depict the actual individuals or courtroom involved.

Sources: CBC News, Toronto Star, CityNews Toronto