A high-profile extortion case involving Thunder Bay, Ont., Mayor Keith Hobbs returned to court Wednesday as the matter appears to be getting closer to trial.
Hobbs, his wife Marisa and city resident Mary Voss were each charged with extortion by Ontario Provincial Police in July 2017. Keith and Marisa Hobbs also each face a charge of obstruction of justice.
In laying the charges, police alleged that the Hobbses and Voss attempted to coerce suspended Thunder Bay lawyer Alexander (Sandy) Zaitzeff into buying a house for Voss by threatening to go to police with criminal allegations.
Zaitzeff recently pleaded guilty to several charges, including two counts of assault, one count of invitation to sexual touching and one count of unauthorized possession of firearms after originally being charged in 2016. He was sentenced to 15 months probation.
The Law Society of Ontario confirmed Zaitzeff remains suspended.
None of the charges against Keith Hobbs, Marisa Hobbs or Mary Voss have been proven in court. Lawyers for the Hobbses have said the allegations will be "vigorously defended."
Wednesday's session was a confirmation hearing, which is a proceeding to ensure that everything is in place for a matter to go to trial. None of the accused were present.
During the brief proceeding, two weeks were set aside beginning June 25 for preliminary hearings.