THUNDER BAY - Mary Voss said after she signed an agreement saying an alleged extortion victim would buy her a house if she didn’t go to police, that she is in trouble now because the victim set her up.
“When all is said and done, (the victim) didn’t buy you a house,” asked Det. Insp. Martin Graham with the Ontario Provincial Police. “Is that fair.”
“No, he didn’t buy me a house,” Voss said. “He makes me sign that and make me believe what he say. Now I am in trouble."
“You believe he set you up?” Graham asked.
“I believe so,” Voss replied. “When you step on (the victim’s) toes, he’ll do everything to knock you down.”
The second half of a voluntary four-hour recorded video statement by Voss to Graham was shown in court on the morning of Day 11 of the extortion trial against former Thunder Bay mayor Keith Hobbs, his wife Marisa, and Voss.
Graham continued his line of questioning of Voss regarding an agreement drafted by Keith Hobbs stating the alleged victim would purchase a house for Voss if she agreed not to go to police with possible incriminating evidence on video.
Voss repeatedly said that she did not read the agreement before signing it on Nov. 18, 2016 and it was the victim who asked Keith Hobbs to write it.
“Keith and Marisa will say the only reason they did all this was to protect you,” Graham said. “But the only reason they do any of this is because they want to get you safe. To get you safe, they draft up an agreement that lets you stay at (the victim’s residence) until such time that (the victim) has bought you another house for $430,000. Why did any of that need to happen?”
“I have no idea,” Voss said. “This is a question I have no idea. I have no idea.”
Graham also continued to paint Marisa Hobbs as pursuing the deal and searching for a more expensive house because Voss would own it outright and money could be borrowed against it. It was said last week that the Hobbs’ were in a dire financial situation at the time.
“I want to believe that this was predominantly Marisa’s doing and the only reason Marisa does things is for money,” Graham said. “I’m telling you right now Mary, I can’t get there, and the reason is because you are not being honest with me.”
“I didn’t tell Marisa to go and negotiate for me,” Voss said repeatedly throughout the interview.
Graham also asked Voss about the videos showing the alleged victim acting erratically and using vulgar and offensive language and why she showed them to Keith and Marisa Hobbs. He also made reference to a text message between Voss and Marisa where Voss expressed concerns about the victim accusing her of extortion.
“But between you, Marisa, and Keith, you are concerned about extortion and this is shortly after you made him aware of these videos,” Graham said. “It’s the same videos that are referenced in the document that you signed.”
Graham continued that he believes Keith and Marisa Hobbs ‘saw an opportunity to extort the victim and get a better deal,’ because the videos were ‘bargaining chips’ and crucial to the agreement signed a day after they were shown the videos.
“The only time housing is discussed, money is bought up, is after you have shown those two individuals these videos,” Graham said. “That is no coincidence. I want you to tell me what the plan was.”
“I didn’t make no plan,” Voss said. “I didn’t make any plan at all.”
Throughout the more than six hours of videotaped statements, Voss continued to deny attempts to extort the alleged victim, claiming she did not read the agreement and that she did not know why Keith Hobbs, as a former police officer, would draft it other than he was asked to by the victim.
“I don’t understand why a police officer, even if somebody tells you to put something like that, why do it,” Voss said. “To get me in trouble? Why?”
Graham also repeatedly told Voss that he did not feel she was being truthful with him.
“Is there anything I can say to you that will persuade you to tell me everything,” he asked. “What can I say to you? You do understand that there’s nothing I can do. You committed extortion with the Hobbs. I’m trying to understand.”
“If I told them that I needed a house, then I would say yes,” she said. “I didn’t tell them that I need a house. Oh my god. Marisa said he has to buy you a house.”
Voss said she trusted the Hobbs’ and the alleged victim, but toward the end of the video taped statement, Graham asked if she believes they were using her.
“Maybe they did,” Voss quietly said.
“I want to know why,” Graham said.
“Why did they do that to me?” Voss said. “I didn’t even know them that much."
“Marisa doesn’t do anything unless there is something in it for her.”
“I don’t know why they did that,” Voss replied.
Voss said she wished she had just stuck to a plan to leave the city.
“I should have just stuck to my plan,” Voss said. “My plan was to just take my family off in my car and go to Toronto and hide somewhere that (the victim) won’t find me and just go and have peace.”
Cross-examination
Defense counsel was also given the opportunity to cross-examine Graham early Tuesday afternoon.
Brian Greenspan, who is representing Keith and Marisa Hobbs, had no questions, while George Joseph, who is representing Voss, briefly asked Graham about his background and the relationship between Voss and the alleged victim.
During his cross-examination, Joseph asked Graham if this was the first extortion case he has ever investigated, to which Graham responded it was.
Joseph also asked Graham about the relationship between the alleged victim and Voss and if there was a power balanced that tilted in favour of the victim given their respective backgrounds. Graham replied that he believed there was a power balance that favoured the victim.
The defense is expected to call its own evidence on Wednesday, which may include calling witnesses to testify.
Complete coverage of Hobbs trial:
Day 1: Keith Hobbs trial starts today
Witness testifies of interactions between Hobbs and alleged extortion victim
Day 2: Details of extortion allegations heard at Hobbs trial
Day 3: Videos from USB drive given by Hobbs shown in court
Day 4: Alleged extortion victim calls behaviour in videos horrid and awful
'Pack your toothbrush' Hobbs alleged warned extortion victim
Day 5: Alleged extortion victim trying to ‘buy silence:’ Greenspan
Day 6: Alleged extortion victim believes Voss was ‘swayed’ by Keith and Marisa Hobbs
Witness testifies of agreement signed between alleged extortion victim and accused
Day 7: More details emerge of alleged victim’s state in fall 2016 and the discovery of a will
Day 8: Homeowner testifies of Marisa Hobbs and Voss viewing $429,000 home
‘I have never extorted anyone’ Hobbs says during videotaped statement with OPP
Day 9: ‘We are guilty of being stupid:’ Marisa Hobbs tells police
Day 10: OPP investigator tells Voss ‘the truth will set you free’
