From Nationalpost · · 1m 20s
Pearson Gold Heist Ringleader Lost Fortune
Toronto airport gold heist mastermind claims he was kidnapped and tortured to reveal loot location.
In brief
Toronto airport gold heist mastermind claims he was kidnapped and tortured to reveal loot location. A man who orchestrated a $22 million Toronto Pearson airport gold heist was kidnapped in Pakistan after fleeing Canada, where he was tortured until he revealed where he hid his gold and cash. Originally reported by…
Arslan Chaudhary arrested
Arsalan Chaudhary was arrested after arriving on a flight from Dubai at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Jan. 12, 2026.
Gold heist mastermind
Chaudhary said he was the man behind the gold heist, along with an inside man who worked with Air Canada, but after they split the stolen gold and cash, worth more than $22 million, he…
Kidnapped in Pakistan
While he was in captivity and suffering torture and threatened with death, he was connected by FaceTime video calls to his kidnappers’ colleagues in Canada; he told them where to go to get his stash…
Torture and ransom
Before they could do anything further, I pretty much told them, 'I’ll give you everything.You don’t need to do anything.You have me.My life is worth more than any money.'
“I’ll give you everything. You don’t need to do anything. You have me. My life is worth more than any money.”
Aftermath
Once they had his loot, a hood was pulled over his head and he was driven from the small room where he had been held.
The takeaway
A man who orchestrated a $22 million Toronto Pearson airport gold heist was kidnapped in Pakistan after fleeing Canada, where he was tortured until he revealed where he hid his gold and cash.
