Thunder Bay mayor charged with extortion

THUNDER BAY -- Thunder Bay mayor Keith Hobbs and his wife Marisa have each been charged with extortion and obstructing justice.

The charges against the 65-year-old mayor and his 53-year-old wife were announced in a Friday morning news release by the OPP, with the provincial police statement that the charges stem from "an investigation of allegations of criminal wrongdoing that include a municipal official and a local resident." 

Hobbs was first elected mayor of Thunder Bay in 2010, ousting incumbent Lynn Peterson with 46 per cent of the vote. He was re-elected to a second term in 2014, defeating former mayor Ken Boschcoff with 38 per cent electoral support. Hobbs had previously stated earlier this year he would not be seeking a third term.

Provincial police have also charged 46-year-old Mary Voss of Thunder Bay with one count of extortion.

Thunder Bay Police Service chief J.P. Levesque in May had been charged by the OPP with obstructing justice and breach of trust for allegedly disclosing confidential information relating to the mayor last December. Those charges came at the culmination of a five-month investigation conducted as a result of an initial request by the RCMP.

The three are scheduled to appear in a Thunder Bay courtroom on Sept. 26. The charges have not been proven in court.

City officials issued a media release shortly after news of the charges was made public, announcing they will be holding a "media briefing regarding city council" at 11 a.m. at city hall.

This is a developing story. More to come.