direTHUNDER BAY - The alleged extortion victim in the trial against former Thunder Bay mayor Keith Hobbs, his wife Marisa, and local resident Mary Voss, called his actions recorded in disturbing videos at the centre of the case ‘horrid and awful.’
“It was the most horrid night of my life,” the victim testified. “The things I now know that I said should never be said to any person [. . .] I am very sorry. I am humiliated. I regret the words.”
On Day 4 of the extortion trial against Keith and Marisa Hobbs and Voss, the alleged victim continued his testimony.
Crown attorney, Peter Keen, asked the victim to recall his actions on Oct. 19, 2016, including the night in which several videos were recorded showing the victim acting erratically, using offensive and vulgar language, and being physically violent.
The videos were contained on a USB drive that was given by Hobbs to Craig Loverin in a parking lot of a local grocery store to show to the victim. Hobbs later gave the same videos to police.
“My memory during this period of heavy drinking, I would say ranged from total blackout to partial blackouts, to hazy, and to some things that I will never forget,” the victim testified. “There are events and things that were said that I will never forget. Ever.”
Leading up to the videos being recorded, the victim recalled hearing Voss while she was talking on the phone with someone from another country.
“Here are the words I will never forget, she said: ‘I will get more money out of him,’” the victim testified.
Following that, the victim said there was a verbal argument and Voss physically assaulted him, punching him twice in the face and possibly being kicked after falling to the ground.
The victim also detailed his first meeting with Keith and Marisa Hobbs after they asked to discuss a business matter.
According to the victim, there was also a request for a loan of $300,000, as well as repeated requests for loans of $75,000.
“They said they were in dire straits and they badly needed money,” the victim testified. “Badly.”
The victim said he did not agree to loan the Hobbs’ any money. However, he continued that Keith Hobbs offered to handle security concerns for the victim, including sweeping his house for $10,000 a month.
Craig Loverin testified earlier this week that the victim had been displaying signs of paranoia and expressed concerns he was being spied on through his television and cell phone.
“With Keith he instantly wanted to jump into Craig Loverin’s shoes,” the victim said. “That’s what he wanted. He said it over and over again. He wanted to be a bodyguard. That’s what he said. He also said that he could get, because I believe I talked about hiring a security firm to check my house from Toronto or New York, I’ll pay the $5,000 or $10,000, but Keith said that wasn’t necessary, he could do it. He could get the equipment to do a complete sweep to do my house. But he wanted money for that.”
A cheque for $10,000 was written for Keith and Marisa Hobbs, which the victim said was done while intoxicated and he could not recall if it was for security work or to help pay for municipal taxes. The cheque was not cashed after the victim realized the next day that it would not look good and he contacted Marisa Hobbs saying he wanted it cancelled. Marisa returned the voided cheque the next day.
The victim also recalled being told about a will that was drafted with his signature, which he said must have been done during another one of his blackouts.
“I texted Craig (Loverin) and told him to come over right away,” he said. “He wrote on it and I signed it that I revoked it.”
The victim also recalled Voss wanting to purchase a house in the city. The victim offered to go 50/50 on the purchase of a house and with Voss keeping any income from the property.
According to the victim’s testimony, Voss did not want to go 50/50 on the investment and wanted him to pay for it. No agreement was ever made.
The victim will continue his testimony Thursday afternoon. Keen often reminds the victim that his responses do not need to provide so much background information, but the victim, in one instance, said to Keen, ‘let me finish.’
