A North Vancouver nurse and single mother has been awarded $1.3 million in damages after being defrauded in a sophisticated fake real estate scheme. The B.C. Supreme Court ruling found that Meera and Kuldeep Virk manipulated the victim, Manjeet Kaur Sandhu, into investing $600,000 in a non-existent Dubai development project, causing significant financial and emotional distress.
Manjeet Kaur Sandhu, a nurse at Lions Gate Hospital, was introduced to Meera Virk through a brother-in-law who vouched for Meera's trustworthiness and her investment company, Hope Capital Investments. Over their interactions, Meera Virk allegedly leveraged their shared Sikh faith to encourage Sandhu to invest in a construction project in Dubai. Sandhu subsequently loaned the Virks $600,000 in 2016, with an agreed annual interest rate of 10 percent. Promissory notes were provided, promising repayment of the principal and interest, with assurances that the project was nearing completion.
Despite ongoing promises, the Virks failed to repay any of the principal or interest. Justice Richard Fowler, in a written ruling, stated that the facts clearly established the Virks' breach of their verbal agreement and concluded they committed civil fraud. He noted that Meera Virk made numerous false statements to Sandhu, including claims of being a successful businesswoman. Within days of receiving the final payment from Sandhu, the Virks were found to have defaulted on two private mortgages, owing over $1.6 million.
The court awarded Sandhu a total of $1.14 million, accounting for accrued interest on her initial payment, minus the $330,000 already recovered from other parties. This means the Virks are ordered to pay Sandhu $811,000 plus post-judgment interest. Additionally, the judge awarded $165,000 in aggravated and punitive damages, citing Sandhu's vulnerability and the Virks' exploitative behavior. Justice Fowler emphasized the need for these damages to deter and denounce the Virks' actions, especially since no criminal charges were filed despite police notification.
Actions against other defendants, including Georgeta Donici, Rohita Pannu, Rohita Pannu Law Corporation, and Ranbir Singh Chahal, were dropped after Sandhu received the $330,000 settlement from them. The Virks did not defend the action and did not appear in court during the trial. As of April 2025, the Virks had reportedly confirmed receipt of the funds and stated intentions to return them, according to Sandhu's lawyer.