Attempted hit on Toronto jail guard linked to wider crime network, documents allege

A complex network of Toronto's most prominent crime cases, including allegations of corrupt police officers, major drug trafficking, and potential contract killing operations, may all be connected to Project South. This theory stems from detailed investigative insights by York Regional Police detectives, derived from intercepted communications, surveillance devices, and search warrants.

Newly released documents outlining the evidence gathered by investigators in the extensive police corruption probe reveal alleged connections between central figures involved in multiple criminal investigations that span from Toronto to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. While the core premise of these documents was partially disclosed when police announced arrests in Project South in February, the latest release provides a significantly deeper level of detail.

The Information to Obtain (ITO), a sworn testimony police provide to judges to secure search warrants, forms the basis of these allegations. The contents are currently based on preliminary police observations, and significant portions remain under a publication ban that a consortium of media outlets, including Global News, is challenging. The partially unsealed ITO, compiled by York Regional Police in February 2026, details their request for judicial permission to conduct numerous nighttime raids targeting vehicles and homes for electronic devices, cash, and other documents.

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cause serious harm or death

According to the documents, officers believe a plot to inflict "serious harm or death" on a Toronto jail employee is linked to former Olympian and alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding, suspected gun-for-hire networks, and allegedly corrupt officers within the Toronto Police Service. It is crucial to note that none of these connections presented in the police documents have been proven in court. They are based on evidence, such as phone intercepts and recordings, which have yet to be presented and assessed by a judge or jury.

Project South, the designation for a large-scale corruption investigation led by York Regional Police, originated from an inquiry into a shooting at the suburban residence of an Ontario correctional worker. In February, Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan stated that the probe commenced in June 2025 following allegations of a conspiracy to murder the correctional institution employee. Hogan reported that over a 36-hour period, several suspects allegedly visited the man's home in York Region at least three times with the intent to kill him. Video surveillance reportedly shows masked and armed individuals at the residence, with one instance involving ramming a police cruiser parked in the driveway.

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we allege for the purpose of murdering him.