A Laval resident has just been ordered to pay more than half a million to two men she falsely accused of rape, going so far as to launch Interpol after them.
Posted at 1:45 a.m.
Updated at 5:00 a.m.
Nadia Fiasche invented a sexual assault, before attempting to extort money from one of her targets while the man was in a foreign prison because of her, according to a recent Superior Court judgment. Extremely incriminating text messages for the Laval resident were produced as evidence.
“The accusation of rape was false,” ruled Judge Paul Mayer in a decision dated July, but released this week. “These false accusations have caused serious harm and significant damage. »
It was after a trip to Cancún in April 2014 that Mme Fiasche accuses James Zaraa and his traveling companion Yvan Arsenault of sexually assaulting her in a room at the local Hard Rock Hotel.
Mme Fiasche and Mr. Zaraa have known each other for a long time and had a friendly and intimate, but stormy, relationship. The trip had gone badly, Mme Fiasche was jealous of the attention her friend gave to an American tourist, according to the ruling.
Nadia Fiasche claimed to have been raped by the two men. Both men swore they had not touched her.
With her mother (also convicted by Judge Mayer), Mme Fiasche filed a complaint in Mexico, in addition to contacting several police forces in Quebec. After an initial rejection of his claims, a Mexican court finally issued an arrest warrant against the two men. The notice was then forwarded to Interpol.
Consequence: James Zaraa was arrested and found himself stuck for more than six months in Lebanon, where he was for a funeral. Yvan Arsenault, collateral victim, saw his Canadian passport invalidated – unless he wanted to surrender to the police in Mexico.
“Give me some money”
However, Nadia Fiasche’s accusations were invented, the Superior Court ruled. His version was “unreasonable and exaggerated, requiring foundations of common sense to be set aside.”
“She is an unstable person who was in love with Mr. Zaraa. She was angry and jealous of the American tourist,” the judge continued. “She turned to the police to cause serious harm to Mr. Zaraa and Mr. Arsenault. »
The judge was able to see “disturbing” text messages sent by Mme Fiasche to Mr. Zaraa, in an exchange which alternated between English and French.
“Why did you file a complaint against me in Cancún? » asks Mr. Zaraa, in 2017. Nadia Fiasche replies: “Because I couldn’t reach you in Montreal, the police would have determined that it is not true. The police in Cancun are gullible, they are stupid and want to protect their tourism. I’m brilliant. »
“Give me some money and I’ll tell the police it’s not true,” she added. “Your life is ruined just because you wanted that bitch in Cancun.” I hope it was worth it. »
Then, while Mr. Zaraa is stuck in Lebanon, she taunts him: “So, are the prisons nice in Lebanon? “. “How much is your freedom worth? $$$$$$$$,” she adds. The man testified that he was detained for five days in a room with 40 to 50 other people, with only a hole in the floor to relieve himself.
A few months later: “I want you, I love you, your wife doesn’t count, it’s me you want.” »
Allegations ‘nearly destroyed his life’
James Zaraa has shown that he lost nearly $300,000 in salary, legal fees and miscellaneous costs due to this mishap. The judge ordered Nadia Fiasche and her mother, Lise Vincelette, to pay him this sum, to which the judge added $100,000 in moral damages and $10,000 in punitive damages.
He “testified that this situation had a serious impact on his family, on his family life, as well as on his physical and psychological health,” said Judge Mayer. The allegations “almost destroyed his life.”
Yvan Arsenault will be entitled to $45,000.
To this day, both men are still unable to travel abroad due to ongoing procedures.
The lawyer for MM. Zaraa and Arsenault did not comment on the matter. The Press could not reach Mmes Fiasche and Vincelette. According to the judgment, they stormed out of their own trial in frustration, without making their final argument.
This cause is reminiscent of the conviction of Montrealer Tanya Zajdel to pay some $200,000 to an American tourist whom she had falsely accused of rape. She flooded social media with her accusations, forwarded them to the man’s employer and even self-published a book on her allegations, which was put on sale on Amazon. The Superior Court’s decision was made public last June in this case.
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