Cricket Canada consults experts after CEO charged with theft and fraud

The logo for Cricket Canada is shown in an undated handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Cricket Canada, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Cricket Canada says it is “consulting with legal and governance experts to determine the appropriate course of action” in the wake of CEO Salman Khan being charged with theft and fraud.

Khan and another man, Syed Wajahat Ali, each face a count of theft over $5,000 and fraud over $5,000 arising from their time in charge of the Calgary and District Cricket League.

Khan is the former president of the Calgary league while Ali is the former treasurer.

Calgary Police Service said in a release Wednesday that it believes the two men “are responsible for misappropriating money belonging to the Calgary and District Cricket League (C&DCL).”

Cricket Canada issued a four-paragraph statement Friday, its first public comment on the charges.

“Cricket Canada is committed to the highest standards of integrity and accountability. We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the situation … In the meantime, we want to assure our members, stakeholders, and the cricket community in Canada that we remain focused on our mission to grow and support the sport with transparency and responsibility,” said the statement.

Police said the newly appointed president of the Calgary league conducted an internal audit in 2017 after noticing “several concerns” about the league’s financial records. The league then contacted police.

“The Calgary Police Service launched an investigation and discovered between January 2014 and December 2016, the former treasurer and former president of the C&DCL are believed to have misappropriated approximately $200,000 from the league,” said the police statement.

“The funds were misappropriated through cheque payments to construction businesses and contractors which the former treasurer and former president, or their immediate family members, had connections to.”

Police said payments were allegedly made to the businesses for repairs and upgrades to the league clubhouse and grounds. But the work was either never completed, or poorly done, using inferior products. Costs were also “highly inflated.”

The charges have not been proven in court. The two men, both from Milton, Ont., had their first court appearance Thursday.

Khan, in a social media post via the Alberta Cricket Association, called the allegations “completely false.”

“Here’s the truth. A police complaint was filed against me more than seven years ago,” he wrote. “A police investigator approached me and said he wanted to hear my side of the story and see the evidence I have to defend myself. He told me that if I didn’t provide my side, he would proceed with charges. I told him I would visit after Ramadan, but he didn’t want to wait and decided to post charges without even hearing my side or my evidence.

“Let me make this clear: They have nothing to prove against me … I am not worried at all. I’m ready to fight just like I’ve been doing for the past eight years.”

Khan became president of the Alberta Cricket Association in November 2016 and was appointed its CEO in 2022. He became CEO of Cricket Canada in early January.

Article by Neil Davidson.