Ex-RCMP officer accused of foreign interference granted bail
A retired RCMP officer charged with foreign interference by allegedly aiding the Chinese government has been conditionally released from custody after his arrest last Friday in Vancouver.
William Majcher, 60, was granted bail on a $50,000 bond following an appearance by videoconference from a Longueuil, Que. courthouse Tuesday. Quebec Court Justice Ann-Mary Beauchemin agreed to his release on the condition that he reside in Vancouver, surrender his passport and not leave the country.
The court also ordered him to report to Burnaby RCMP weekly starting Aug. 2 and to not communicate with two named individuals. Two sureties agreed to deposit an additional $200,000 deposit as a guarantee that Majcher respects his conditions.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 29.
According to the RCMP, Majcher allegedly helped the government of China "identify and intimidate" an individual in Canada and "allegedly used his knowledge and his extensive network of contacts in Canada to obtain intelligence or services to benefit the People's Republic of China."
Majcher, who is from Hong Kong, was charged with two counts under the Security of Information Act: preparatory acts for the benefit of a foreign entity and conspiracy.
Police allege the crimes were committed between 2014 and 2019, several years after he left the RCMP in 2007. He was an undercover officer working on drug and financial crime cases during his 22-year career with the national police force.
The RCMP's allegations against Majcher have not been proven in court.
More arrests could follow, police said last week.
With files from CTV News Montreal's Stéphane Giroux and The Canadian Press
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