One personal bankruptcy, at least four corporate bankruptcies associated with his name, and one business pushed into receivership with millions of dollars in debts that led to the forced sale of a Puslinch horse farm.

At least two successful civil lawsuits against him as a defendant, including one judgment against him of nearly $160,000 that resulted in the forced sale of a Burlington condominium unit.

At least 15 small claims court lawsuits against him or his companies with outstanding judgments and claims totalling nearly $100,000.

Statement by Chris DesRoches In response to questions submitted by the Spectator, Chris DesRoches provided the following statement. He repeated the same statement for each of the issues identified by the Spectator: "With regards to your questions about Mr. DesRoches, and his personal, family and business affairs, his entire documentation including credit cards (4), driver's licence, passport, SIN card and birth certificate were stolen on or about very early 2006, and same was reported in writing to Trans Union of Canada, Equifax, and Experion, the local Police Service, RCMP and the federal government of Canada via Service Canada. DesRoches' identity, credit history and personal affairs have been compromised numerous times from that point onwards including most recently (a) credit card taken out in his name. All of this is documented. There is a case currently in litigation regarding this matter. There are currently 4 Chris DesRoches in the Ontario area, including a local man (other than the writer) using one of Hamilton's fine hospitals. "Mr. DesRoches' business career is long and successful. DesRoches has been a director, officer and/or shareholder of over 85 different corporations, both private and public, as well has and is currently sitting on many corporate advisory boards in North America, Europe, Canada and the Caribbean, some owned by him, others that he has been a partner in and others that he was simply a director with no ownership, officer roles or major shareholdings. DesRoches is also a trustee in a number of private trusts. The over 85 companies, trusts, and other entities that I have been involved in as a director, shareholder, officer or advisory board member or chair have a over 96 per cent success rate. "Des Roches was the winner in 1999 of the Young Entrepreneur Award given out by the Hamilton Wentworth District Chamber of Commerce, and was a runnerup in the same category a year earlier. Further to that DesRoches and his company won the 'Frankie' award for the 'Best Corporate Franchise' jingle on or about 1997. In the past as well as currently, DesRoches, his family and his companies have sponsored various charitable events and foundations including the Hamilton Aids Network, SPCA, Opera Hamilton, (now defunct) Festival of Friends, the Kidney Foundation of Hamilton, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Children's Aid Society (annual Christmas party for children), the Canadian Cancer Society, the Good Shepherd, the Canadian Breast Cancer Association, Children's Make a Wish Foundation and others too numerous to mention." This is a just a snapshot of the financial history of Chris DesRoches, selected by the City of Hamilton as the winning bidder to operate the new high-end restaurant in the renovated Lister Block and the recipient of $267,000 for building improvements from the city to help him get his venture off the ground.

And the list goes on.

One company he was associated with dissolved for failure to comply with Ontario's Corporations Tax Act.

The suspension of his standardbred horse license by the Ontario Racing Commission.

At least $348,000 owed at one point to the Canada Revenue Agency, and another $145,000 owed to Ontario's finance ministry, based on DesRoches' bankruptcy documents.

DesRoches, the man who turned his downtown La Costa restaurant into a small chain across southern Ontario in the 1990s, is preparing to open 28 Lister, a 1920s-style chophouse on the ground floor of the Lister Block. The opening of the restaurant has been postponed several times since last year for a variety of reasons, including the death of the executive chef in April.

DesRoches and his company, 28 Lister Restaurants Inc., were chosen by the city from four submitted bids for the lease in April 2013.

In addition to the $267,000 that the city agreed to pay for the project, documents show that DesRoches would invest another $200,000 to develop the restaurant.

According to an April 2013 report to city councillors, "28 Lister Inc. met all of the criteria including the financial criteria."

But the city now acknowledges it was unaware of the financial information about DesRoches uncovered by the Spectator's investigation.

"In all honesty, we weren't aware of the background information on this individual," said Rom D'Angelo, Hamilton's director of facilities management and capital programs.

"Given the situation we're in now and the information that you just shared with me, in hindsight I wish I had 12 months back and did a whole different evaluation on this," D'Angelo added. "It's a lesson learned and eyes wide open moving forward.

"That's an area I definitely need to evaluate in making improvements."

D'Angelo said the city only did a background check on DesRoches' 28 Lister Restaurants Inc. company, which was just incorporated in April 2013, but didn't do a check on DesRoches personally or his previous businesses.

"Based on the information you shared, that information seems very accessible and that should have been one of our checkpoints," said D'Angelo.

In a written response to The Spectator, DesRoches stated that all of his personal documentation had been stolen in early 2006, that he had been the victim of identity theft and that his credit history and personal affairs have been compromised.

It's not clear from his statement how the issue of identity theft is connected to the issues raised by The Spectator's investigation.

DesRoches indicated that he contacted local police, the RCMP, the federal government and various credit agencies about the theft of his personal information.

"My personal or corporate investments are not public information." Chris DesRoches, DesRoches' response to two dozen questions submitted by The Spectator His response also included a short business biography, awards he has won and a list of charitable events and groups he has supported.

DesRoches declined to provide specific answers to a list of nearly two dozen direct questions submitted by the Spectator about his personal bankruptcy, corporate bankruptcies, business receivership, unpaid court judgments, horse ownership and how he was obtaining the money to finance the Lister Block restaurant.

"My personal or corporate investments are not public information," DesRoches stated.

When a Spectator reporter knocked on the office door of the Lister Block restaurant one morning last week, DesRoches answered and denied he was DesRoches when asked.

He said he was in the middle of a meeting and told the reporter to wait in the hallway.

After several minutes, DesRoches again opened the door and said "My PR people are preparing a response to your questions and it will be sent to you." Each time the man was asked if he was Chris DesRoches, he repeated the same sentence and then closed the door.

In an email message three days later, DesRoches attempted to explain why he pretended to be someone else when contacted by The Spectator.

"I'm too busy to be 'popped in on,'" DesRoches wrote. "I have told various people that I am not available or that I am not me especially when I am in a meeting with someone who is more important than you."

• • •

Chris DesRoches is certainly no stranger to the downtown restaurant scene.

In 1993, he opened La Costa at the corner of Hughson and King William streets, just one block, ironically, from his new 28 Lister restaurant.

Over the next decade, he opened La Costa locations across southern Ontario, as well as one in Calgary.

Ten years ago, though, DesRoches announced that he was closing the La Costa in Hamilton because the city's deteriorating downtown was scaring his customers away.

"The downtown has deteriorated so much that people don't come downtown anymore," DesRoches said at the time. "They're scared to come downtown."

A search of bankruptcy records show six Ontario corporations representing La Costa restaurant locations in southern Ontario have filed for bankruptcy in the past, including the former Hamilton location.

Documents show at least four of the corporations had ties to DesRoches. Ownership of two of the La Costa corporations was unclear from the bankruptcy reports.

DesRoches did not respond to a direct question asking for the total number of corporate bankruptcies he has filed.

Since the La Costa bankruptcies in the early 2000s, there has been a long list of financial problems for DesRoches, including a personal bankruptcy in 2006, a business forced into receivership in 2010 and a large number of uncollected court judgments against him that remain outstanding.

DesRoches filed for personal bankruptcy on March 15, 2006, listing liabilities of at least $580,000 and assets of just $1,000 worth of personal effects.

Among the liabilities were about $348,000 owed to the Canada Revenue Agency, $145,000 owed to Ontario's finance ministry and $191,000 owed to a food service company.

The equestrian centre, Armana Farms, was owned by DesRoches then placed into receivership under a mountain of debt. Photo by Kaz Novak.

In 1999, DesRoches and his partner at the time incorporated a company called Amarna Farms Inc., with each of them owning 50 per cent of the business.

Amarna Farms purchased a horse farm and equestrian property on Watson Road in Puslinch for $699,000 in November 1999.

Three years later, DesRoches and his partner split up and he bought out her half of the Amarna Farms company, leaving him as the sole director and officer of the corporation until March 1, 2006, two weeks before he declared personal bankruptcy.

DesRoches was replaced as Amarna's sole director and officer by Jacqueline Stahl, who was living at the Puslinch farm, according to DesRoches' bankruptcy documents. Stahl could not be reached for comment.

DesRoches was discharged from his personal bankruptcy on Dec. 18, 2006. Less than three months later, he was back in place as the sole director and officer of Amarna Farms and Stahl was taken off the corporate records.

Under Ontario's Corporations Act, an undischarged bankrupt cannot be a director of a company.

In the statement of affairs for his personal bankruptcy, DesRoches stated that he had sold his stake in Amarna Farms to Stahl in September 2003 and had no financial interest in the company at the time of his bankruptcy.

But corporate records show that he remained as the company's only officer and director until just days before declaring bankruptcy. Under the Corporations Act, a director of a company must also be a shareholder.

DesRoches stated at the time of his 2006 personal bankruptcy that the Puslinch farm had been appraised at $866,000 in September 2003, with an outstanding mortgage of $835,000.

What DesRoches didn't state in his personal bankruptcy was that Amarna Farms had taken out a $2-million mortgage with the Royal Bank just five months before DesRoches went bankrupt.

The mortgage was signed by DesRoches as the company's authorized representative and he was the only officer and director of Amarna Farms at the time. The value of the mortgage strongly suggests that the Puslinch farm was worth far more than the amount declared by DesRoches in his personal bankruptcy.

DesRoches also didn't indicate in his personal bankruptcy that he was the co-owner of a harness racehorse named Imagesetter, according to the records of Standardbred Canada. DesRoches became a co-owner of the horse on Aug. 2, 2005, according to Standardbred Canada's records and the horse was apparently being used for stud purposes.

Ten months after DesRoches was discharged from his personal bankruptcy, ownership of the racehorse was transferred into DesRoches' name as the sole owner. Standardbred Canada said it still has DesRoches listed as the owner of Imagesetter.

In 2010, DesRoches had his standardbred licence suspended by the Ontario Racing Commission over an unpaid bill contrary to ORC regulations. After appealing the decision, DesRoches did not show up at two hearings of the ORC and the decision was upheld.

DesRoches denied to The Spectator in writing that he ever owned the horse and stated that the ORC suspension was because he allowed his licence to lapse.

However, in 2009, DesRoches had appealed an ORC decision that had rendered some of Imagesetter's foals ineligible for a certain racing program. The ORC appeal document clearly shows that Imagesetter was DesRoches' stallion.

In October 2010, Amarna Farms was forced into receivership and Stephen Cherniak of KPMG's London office was appointed as receiver.

According to Cherniak, a corporate records search determined that DesRoches was the sole shareholder of the corporation. It's not clear how DesRoches reacquired ownership of the company following his personal bankruptcy, when he stated he had no financial interest in Amarna Farms.

"I dealt with him personally and he was difficult to deal with, shall we say to be polite," said Cherniak.

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"He was not co-operative," Cherniak added. "The bank was trying to find him because there was a shortfall on what the bank was owed."

The receiver sold the Puslinch farm in September 2011 for $1.9 million to an unrelated third-party company.

The Royal Bank was the only creditor paid, Cherniak said, "and they didn't get everything they were owed. There was no money going to anybody else."

In February 2011, Effort Trust obtained a $159,000 default judgment in Hamilton court against DesRoches for an outstanding mortgage on a condominium unit located at 1552 Newlands Cr. in Burlington.

The condo had been owned by DesRoches' late mother, who died in 2007, and her partner, who died the following year. Effort Trust eventually sold the condo under a power of sale in June 2011.

At least 15 claims and judgments have been made against DesRoches, his company or both in Small Claims courts in Hamilton and Wellington County since 2006 and a number of the judgments remain uncollected.

"I don't know how this guy does it. I don't know how he goes to sleep at night." Louise Masek, Commenting on a $25,000 judgment she received in 2011 against DesRoches' Amarna Farms Louise Masek obtained a $25,000 judgment in 2011 against DesRoches' Amarna Farms company related to a dispute over stalls she was renting at the Puslinch property for her horse and rider training business.

"It was a nightmare, one thing after another," said Masek, adding that she was incredulous that DesRoches was selected for the city's restaurant lease.

"I don't know how this guy does it," said Masek. "I just don't know how he goes to sleep at night.

"It bothers me from an ethical standpoint that we have system in Ontario that allows someone like that to thrive at the expense of so many other people," she added.

Cindy Fitzgerald echoed the same sentiment. Her business, Freelton Feeds, obtained a judgment for more than $8,000 against Amarna Farms in 2010 for unpaid feed bills.

"It's unbelievable that he is still out there getting business, starting up companies, restaurants, what have you, and people are still giving him money," said Fitzgerald. "It's unreal.

"He's smooth, let me tell you. He's a smooth operator."

• • •

This past weekend marked the most recent opening date that had been proposed for the new 28 Lister restaurant, according to the city.

Once again, the opening has been postponed.

"We're daily — constantly — talking to him, emailing him," said Rom D'Angelo from the city. "Do we feel optimistic? At this point in time, yes, we still feel optimistic that we will have a grand opening with 28 Lister.

"Again, that's a lot of prodding and being sure we're aggressive."

D'Angelo stressed that the city's $267,000 in funding has gone into building infrastructure and improvements that are already in place and the city's investment is protected. The money has been spent to upgrade electrical distribution, ductwork and ventilation improvements, and water and drainage work.

"We know we're good in terms of what our money's invested in," said D'Angelo. "If this goes south, we feel confident that someone could step in and take over with the city not investing a penny more."

But D'Angelo admitted that the delays are starting to raise red flags for the city.

"Hopefully, he can come through," D'Angelo said.

"I'm really hoping he can come through."

The entrance to 29 Lister from the building's indoor arcade. Photo by Kaz Novak.

Finding Chris DesRoches On Tuesday morning, May 27, Spectator investigative reporter Steve Buist attempted to reach Chris DesRoches, the principal behind the new 28 Lister restaurant, to ask him some questions about his new venture and his past business and financial history.

No one answered the restaurant's telephone and a message indicated that the voice mailbox was full. The 28 Lister website provided a separate media contact telephone number. The number was no longer in service.

Buist sent a message to the restaurant's email address, seeking an interview with DesRoches along with a list of issues to be discussed. The title of the message was "Interview request."

Less than an hour later, Buist visited the Lister Block in person because there had been no acknowledgement that his email request had been received. 28 Lister occupies some office space along one corridor on the ground floor of the building and the large window panes are frosted from the floor to about eye level.

Unsure if the office was occupied, Buist peered over the frosted portion of the glass momentarily and noticed a woman with her back to the window sitting at a table in the middle of the office space and a man sitting across from her. Buist then knocked on the door.

DesRoches opened the door. Buist identified himself by name and his occupation as a Spectator reporter. Buist asked the man if he was DesRoches and DesRoches said he wasn't. He told Buist he was in the middle of a meeting. Buist said he needed to speak to DesRoches to ask him some questions and DesRoches repeated that he was in the middle of a meeting and to wait in the corridor. He closed the door.

Several minutes later, DesRoches opened the door and told Buist "My PR people are preparing a response to your questions and it will be sent to you." Each time the man was asked if he was Chris DesRoches, he repeated the same sentence and then closed the door.

That afternoon, Buist sent another message to the 28 Lister email address. This message included nearly two dozen very specific questions about DesRoches' new venture and his past personal and business financial history. One of the questions also asked DesRoches why he pretended to be someone else when Buist met with him in person at the Lister Block that morning.

Less than an hour later, DesRoches sent a response by email. The response did not address the specific questions posed by the Spectator. Instead, the response highlighted a couple of awards he won and a list of charitable events and foundations he has supported. The response also suggested that DesRoches has been the target of identity theft after his documentation was stolen somewhere around 2006, and that police and the federal government have been notified. It was not clear from his response how identity theft is connected to the questions raised by the Spectator.

On Thursday, May 29, DesRoches contacted Kelly Montague, head of the Spectator's advertising department, on several occasions and threatened to pull his advertising from the newspaper. He eventually spoke with Managing Editor Jim Poling and indicated that he would agree to an interview with Buist if DesRoches' lawyer was present and the interview was recorded on video, so that he could post the video on social media.

Buist then called DesRoches and attempted to arrange the interview. DesRoches told Buist that his lawyer was out of town, would be returning the next day and that he'd be in contact when a suitable time could be arranged.

On Friday morning, May 30, Buist received an email message from DesRoches. "After a lengthy discussion with both of my Canadian attorneys, it was recommended that all responses to any media inquires be in writing, therefore I regret that the taped interview will no longer be available."

At the conclusion of the message, DesRoches attempted to explain why he pretended to be someone else when contacted by Buist in person.

"You failed to show any creditable ID of any kind," DesRoches wrote. "I only speak to people I know or have identified themselves to me or that have an appointment. I am too busy to be 'popped in on.'

"After having false delivery confirmation, and blatant lies and calls from the Spectator, which was orchestrated by you and your office, my guard has been extremely high," he added. "I have more than enough cause to be leery of creepy people and creepy phone calls.

"I have told various people that I am not available or that I am not me especially when I am in a meeting with someone who is more important than you, to people who do not have the respect, courtesy or wherewithal to make an appointment.

"The person I was with deserved my full attention. You persisted on knocking, when I did not answer started a peeping Tom act by gazing non-stop into my office through a window. That is why.

"Next time be polite and make an appointment," DesRoches wrote. "A witness was in my office at the time and noticed you peeping like a perverted Peeping Tom. lol … do not deny this.

"You also persisted in trying to question me while I was in a meeting … but as soon as I said I was not me, you bolted! Make an appointment next time that is mutually agreeable … you may get better results."

DesRoches then offered to give Buist a tutorial on business operations.