Hells Angel realtor loses licence

Being A Member Of A Criminal Organization Deemed Inconsistent With
Real Estate Act

A Vancouver real estate agent had his licence cancelled Friday for
being a member of a known criminal organization -- the Hells Angels.

The licence of Werner Giovanni Gonzalez was cancelled by Alan Clark,
the superintendent of real estate for B.C., who felt it was in the
public interest to issue the cancellation order under Section 31(10)
of the Real Estate Act without first holding a hearing to give
Gonzalez an opportunity to respond.

Gonzalez, 34, had been working as an agent with Amex-Fraseridge Realty
in Vancouver and previously worked at Coldwell Banker Tri-Tel Realty
in Maple Ridge.

In a five-page decision issued Friday, Clark wrote: "Being a member of
a criminal organization -- the Haney chapter of the Hells Angels -- is
inconsistent with the requirements of the [Real Estate] Act and its
regulations, and specifically inconsistent with the requirement that a
licensee be of good reputation order."

The decision also cited a recent court ruling by B.C. Supreme Court
Justice Ross Lander, which stated: "It is a notorious fact that the
Hells Angels are involved in organized crime and that such crime
crosses provincial and national borders . . . ."

Gonzalez, who lives in Maple Ridge, has 30 days to appeal the
cancellation order.

Aranjan Sharma, owner of Amex-Fraseridge Realty, said he had spoken to
Gonzalez about his involvement in the Hells Angels. "He said he used
to be [a member]," he said.

He hired Gonzalez in September to work at the realty company, which
has 250 agents.

Gonzalez was issued his real estate licence July 6 and first went to
work for Coldwell Banker Tri-Tel Realty in Maple Ridge, where the
owner, Ralph Telep, talked to Gonzalez about his involvement in the
Hells Angels.

"We did not fire him," recalled Bill Kok, manager of the Maple Ridge
realty company. "The owner talked to him. [Gonzalez ] agreed to go
somewhere else."

Telep hung up on a Vancouver Sun reporter Friday, saying, "I don't
talk to reporters."

Rick Ciarniello, who often speaks for the Hells Angels in B.C., said
he was shocked by Friday's decision.

"I'm stunned that we have sunk this low to judge people by the company
they keep," he said.

"Here's a man who's got no criminal record, went to the University of
B.C. to take all the courses and do the right thing and become what he
wanted to be in life, and the decision now has been made not for what
he's done but for whom he chooses to be friends with and the clothing
he chooses to wear."

Ciarniello also pointed out that the Lander court ruling is under
appeal.

"We do object to that," he said.

"His finding of [the Hells Angels] being a criminal organization was
totally off the wall . . . Evidence of being a criminal organization
was not proffered by the Crown."

Friday's decision also cited the Vancouver Sun's recent seven-part
series on organized crime, which included a photograph of Gonzalez and
a story that revealed the biker was working as a real estate agent in
the Vancouver area.

Clark's decision said that Rick Senum, an investigator in the
superintendent of real estate's office, accepted as true RCMP
information that Gonzalez is a full-patch member of the Haney chapter
of the Hells Angels.

"Full patch" means a member can wear all the insignia that identifies
him as a full member of a particular Hells Angels chapter.

Robert Fawcett, executive officer of the Real Estate Council of B.C.,
said he was aware that Gonzalez was a Hells Angels member.

"It's been brought to my attention," he said.

Fawcett said the council had not received any complaints concerning
Gonzalez.

Under the Real Estate Act, the real estate council is responsible for
licensing real estate agents and salespersons, enforcing entry
qualifications, investigating complaints against licensees and
imposing disciplinary sanctions.

It is also responsible for ensuring the interests of consumers are
adequately protected against wrongful actions by licensed real estate
agents.

B.C.'s superintendent of real estate also has the power to review and
suspend a real estate agent's licence if it is determined the agent is
not of good character or has been convicted of a serious crime.

Police allege the Hells Angels is a criminal organization heavily
involved in the distribution of illegal drugs, prostitution, assault,
extortion and murder.

The Hells Angels claim the organization is merely a motorcycle club
that has some members who have had run-ins with the law.

The club maintains it does not sanction or assist criminal activity by
members.