Pearson Gold Heist Trial Reveals Disputes and Financial Pressure

Police recordings and testimony from a convicted participant have shed further light on the alleged planning, financial disputes and deteriorating relationships surrounding the theft of more than $22 million in gold and cash from Toronto Pearson International Airport on April 17, 2023. Parmpal Sidhu, a former Air Canada cargo employee, is standing trial in Brampton, Ontario, pleading not guilty to theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.

The evidence presented in Ontario Superior Court includes intercepted telephone conversations recorded during the investigation by Peel Regional Police, financial records and testimony from Arsalan Chaudhary, who pleaded guilty to theft and received a four-year prison sentence. Investigators have said approximately 6,600 gold bars weighing more than 400 kilograms were stolen after a shipment arrived from Switzerland. Only about one kilogram of the gold has been recovered, according to trial coverage by the National Post.

Chaudhary returned to the witness stand on October 19, 2026, but repeatedly said he could not recall conversations and events he had described in earlier sworn statements. He attributed his memory difficulties to post-traumatic stress disorder and the psychological effects of his experiences in Pakistan, where he said he was kidnapped and abused after fleeing with stolen gold.

Chaudhary testified that he had told Sidhu the truck and driver were ready on the day of the theft and that Sidhu responded, "OK." Prosecutors also questioned him about previous testimony that he had spoken with Sidhu three times by telephone on April 17, 2023, and discussed the heist's logistics.

"I wasn't trying to remember my past. I was trying to move on," Chaudhary said in court.

He described following his correctional plan while attempting to rebuild his life. When asked about his memory difficulties, he said he had been advised that treatment could help.

"I'm not sure how PTSD works," Chaudhary said.

He also testified that a counselor had told him memory loss could occur and might improve through treatment. During earlier testimony, Chaudhary said he and Simran Preet Panesar, a former Air Canada cargo manager who remains wanted by authorities, had planned the theft. He said Panesar was to receive 70 percent of the gold, while he would retain 30 percent.

The Yahoo News report described prosecutors questioning Chaudhary about the difficulties of testifying against alleged associates while incarcerated. He rejected the suggestion that his reluctance was simply a consequence of prison culture, although he acknowledged the negative perception of cooperating with authorities among inmates.

"I have no opinion," Chaudhary initially replied when asked about informing on another person.

When the prosecutor pressed him on the issue, he elaborated on the consequences of cooperation in prison. He also said he had previously been concerned about media attention during court proceedings. Judge Gordon Cudjoe had earlier permitted Chaudhary a break from testimony so he could rest and receive his medication.

Separate evidence from police wiretaps described Sidhu's growing anxiety as investigators monitored suspects following the theft. According to the National Post and Toronto Sun, recordings captured him complaining that other participants had left Canada while he remained exposed to the investigation and struggled to obtain the money he believed he was owed.

"It's already falling apart," Sidhu said in one intercepted conversation, according to the National Post.

In another recording, he complained about his financial position and the apparent disappearance of associates.

"Everybody's on their own. Everybody's worried about themselves," Sidhu said.

He also expressed frustration about being left without the expected proceeds. The recordings presented in court included complaints about maxed-out credit cards, a declined American Express card, borrowing against a line of credit and seeking financial assistance from his mother.

"I am not joking," Sidhu said in another call, describing himself as being in a financial hole and saying he would have to look after himself.

Investigators said some intercepted conversations referred to alleged participants through nicknames. Peel Regional Police Det. Sarah Angevine identified "Grove" as Archit Grover, who is accused of supplying the truck used to transport the stolen gold. References to "Dubai" were associated with Chaudhary, who previously testified that he traveled there after the theft.

"If I lose my cut, then Grove is going to lose his, too," Sidhu said in a recording described by the Toronto Sun.

Another intercepted conversation included a suggestion to damage a person's property to send a threatening message without injuring anyone. The recordings also showed Sidhu expressing concern about surveillance and saying he believed a tracker had been placed under his vehicle.

Police evidence also addressed communications between Sidhu and Panesar. Det. Angevine testified that phone records showed 22 messages or calls from Panesar to Sidhu and 14 from Sidhu to Panesar on the day of the theft. Panesar was reportedly Sidhu's most frequent contact during the relevant period, with more exchanges between them than between Sidhu and his wife.

Peel Regional Police also examined Sidhu's banking records. Const. Michael Asanin, a fraud investigator, testified that a $30,000 bank draft was deposited into Sidhu's account on January 5, 2023, approximately three months before the theft.

Prosecutors allege that Sidhu provided an altered waybill that enabled another man to collect the shipment from the airport cargo warehouse. The case involves nine men who were charged in connection with the theft, and several alleged participants have traveled abroad. Sidhu remains on trial, and the charges against him have not been proven in court.