Full Report

Key Points

  • Taymour Aghtai, a 31-year-old resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, has an extensive criminal history spanning over 15 years, including multiple convictions for violent crimes, fraud, hoax threats, and sexual offenses.
  • In early 2023, he was convicted in BC Supreme Court of sexual assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon, extortion, unlawful confinement, and use of an imitation firearm related to a 2020 incident involving the torture and restraint of a former acquaintance in a Richmond apartment.
  • He was also sentenced to two years less a day in prison for making 63 hoax phone calls to staff at Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, which contributed to operational chaos and coincided with the facility’s first resident death from the virus.
  • Aghtai has a documented pattern of psychological issues, including narcissistic and antisocial personality traits with psychopathic tendencies, as identified in a 2014 assessment, alongside alcohol abuse.
  • No active business operations are evident post-convictions, though he previously ran a small-scale merchandise buying and selling venture from his home.

Overview

Taymour Aghtai is an individual based in Vancouver, British Columbia, with no formal professional profile or ongoing public business activities as of 2025. Prior to his recent incarcerations, he operated an informal home-based business involving the purchase and resale of various merchandise, often sourcing items through personal networks. This venture occasionally involved acquaintances who supplied or bought goods from him. Aghtai has no known corporate affiliations, employment history in legitimate sectors, or public entrepreneurial endeavors. His public notoriety stems primarily from criminal activities rather than commercial success, with interactions limited to low-level trading circles in the Greater Vancouver area.

Allegations and Concerns

  • Hoax Threats and Public Mischief: In March 2020, Aghtai made over 60 malicious calls to Lynn Valley Care Centre, impersonating officials and spreading false alarms about contamination and threats, leading to widespread staff absences and heightened vulnerability during the early pandemic. He pleaded guilty in December 2021 to public mischief and two counts of conveying false messages with intent to alarm.
  • Violent Assault and Confinement: On September 4, 2020, Aghtai and accomplices lured a teenage acquaintance to his Richmond apartment, where the victim was handcuffed, zip-tied, pistol-whipped with an imitation firearm, sprayed with bear spray, sexually assaulted with a broom handle (which Aghtai recorded and laughed at), and coerced into simulated bestiality under threat of violence. The ordeal lasted over 30 hours until the victim’s escape. Aghtai was convicted in January 2023 after the court deemed him a key participant, despite not being the primary aggressor.
  • Escapes and Hospital Assault: In 2020, while in custody at Richmond Hospital, Aghtai removed an IV needle, threatened corrections officers with a blood-contaminated syringe (asking if they “wanted to get hep”), and fled the facility. He was recaptured nearby and later sentenced to nine months for assault and escape.
  • Theft and Fraud: Aghtai stole personal protective equipment (PPE) from a seniors’ care home in 2020 amid shortages. His record includes fraud by false pretenses, obtaining by false pretenses, and hoax calls impersonating police or alleging crimes since 2008.
  • Psychological Red Flags: A 2014 assessment labeled him as narcissistic, antisocial, an alcohol abuser, and exhibiting psychopathic tendencies, contributing to repeated violations of court orders and escalating violence.

Customer Feedback

Limited public feedback exists on Aghtai’s informal merchandise business, as it operated through personal networks without online presence or formal reviews. No verified consumer testimonials were identified across major platforms. Anecdotal associations from trial testimony describe interactions as transactional, with one victim noting occasional supply deals since their teenage years, but no praise or complaints surfaced in relation to product quality or service. The absence of reviews may reflect the low-profile, cash-based nature of his operations, though his criminal associations likely deterred repeat business. In broader searches, no positive endorsements emerged, while indirect mentions in legal contexts highlight exploitative dynamics in dealings.

Risk Considerations

  • Financial Risks: Aghtai’s history of fraud and theft raises concerns for potential involvement in scams or unpaid obligations in informal trades. No bankruptcy records or debts were found, but his incarceration disrupts any ongoing financial stability, potentially leading to asset forfeiture or liens from legal fees.
  • Reputational Risks: Extensive media coverage of his crimes has branded him as a serial offender, eroding trust in any future ventures. Associations with violence and hoaxes could taint partners, resulting in boycotts or severed ties in Vancouver’s small business community.
  • Legal Risks: Ongoing probation from 2023 sentences, combined with a lengthy record, heightens exposure to parole violations or new charges. His psychopathic traits suggest recidivism potential, posing liability for collaborators in any business revival.

Business Relations and Associations

Aghtai’s network appears confined to informal, personal contacts rather than structured partnerships. Trial evidence revealed ties to unnamed accomplices in the 2020 Richmond incident, including individuals who led assaults while he aided and filmed. He has known the primary victim since their teenage years through merchandise exchanges, indicating loose supply-chain links in Vancouver’s resale scene. No formal corporate partners, investors, or vendors were identified. A potential familial connection exists via Mehran Aghtai, listed as president of M Star Projects, a Delta-based general contracting firm, though no direct collaboration is documented. Recent social media activity under @taymour44 shows outreach to individuals like @Sohrabroeen23 for urgent contact, suggesting ongoing personal networks but no business context. Post-conviction, his associations are limited to correctional or legal circles.

Legal and Financial Concerns

  • Lawsuits and Convictions: Convicted January 2023 in BC Supreme Court on five felony counts from the Richmond apartment case; sentencing pending as of early 2023 reports. Sentenced February 2023 to two years less a day (time served) plus three years probation for Lynn Valley hoaxes. Additional 2022 sentence of nine months (time served) for hospital escape and assault. Criminal record since 2008 includes over a dozen convictions for assault, robbery, break-and-enter, confinement, weapons offenses, fraud, and court order breaches.
  • Unpaid Debts or Bankruptcy: No public records of bankruptcy, liens, or significant debts. Legal costs from defenses may have accrued, but details are unavailable.
  • Regulatory Issues: Violations of probation terms remain a risk; his 2020 PPE theft implicated healthcare supply chains during crisis.
Risk Type Key Factors Severity (Low/Medium/High)
Legal Multiple felony convictions; history of escapes and violations; pending sentencing exposure High
Financial Informal trading prone to fraud; no assets or debts tracked, but incarceration halts income Medium
Reputational Widespread media on violent/sexual crimes; psychopathic profile deters trust High
Operational Reliance on personal networks with criminal ties; no scalable business model High
Personal/Safety Antisocial traits and alcohol issues; potential for recidivism in dealings High

Taymour Aghtai exemplifies a high-risk profile where criminal patterns overshadow any nominal business pursuits, rendering him unsuitable for partnerships or investments. His actions, from pandemic hoaxes that endangered vulnerable populations to orchestrated tortures, reveal a deliberate escalation in harm, fueled by underlying pathologies that judicial interventions have failed to curb. While his merchandise dealings were peripheral and unremarkable, they served as entry points for exploitation, underscoring how seemingly innocuous networks can mask predatory intent. Absent rehabilitation evidence, any engagement carries cascading liabilities, from civil claims to ethical fallout, advising complete avoidance in professional contexts. This case highlights broader systemic gaps in monitoring repeat offenders with antisocial disorders, where early fraud signals presaged violent outcomes.