Mastermind of Toronto airport gold heist testifies that PTSD, prison conditions have robbed him of his memory - National Post
Copy URL Facebook Linked In X (Twitter) Loading account options Sign In Manage Account Close account menu Manage Account Sign Out Loading subscription options Subscribefor $0.50/week By Adrian Humphreys October 14, 2026 at 5:04 p.m. Last Updated: October 14, 2026 at 6:26 p.m. One of the admitted masterminds behind Canada’s largest gold heist who has been ordered to testify in court against a co-accused — and against his will — said his memory is fried because of PTSD from being kidnapped, poor treatment in prison and a lack of sleep.
Arsalan Chaudhary, who previously pleaded guilty for his role orchestrating the Toronto airport gold heist, was subpoenaed by Crown prosecutors to be the star witness at the trial of Parmpal Sidhu, a former Air Canada employee in the cargo warehouse from where the crate of gold and cash, worth more than $22 million, was stolen in 2023 shortly after it arrived on a flight from Switzerland.
On Tuesday, he told a dramatic story of being one of two key organizers of the successful plot to steal the loot and then of losing his 30 per cent share to kidnappers in Pakistan, where he fled after the heist. The kidnappers, he said, were members of the Pakistani police, who grabbed him and tortured him until he revealed where the gold was hidden. His captors used contacts in Canada to secure the gold before releasing him.
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