Toronto cop allegedly stole luxury watch from missing person’s home, took dead woman’s Mastercard

A longtime Toronto police officer is accused of stealing a luxury watch from a dead man’s home during a recent missing person investigation, and of taking a deceased woman’s Mastercard during a 2020 sudden death probe — a credit card used 16 times after her death, newly released police documents allege.

Documents filed at the Toronto police tribunal Tuesday provide previously unknown details about the string of criminal charges against Const. Boris Borissov, a 16-year veteran of the force who was first arrested in April and is charged with more than a dozen offences, including theft, fraud, breach of trust and possession of property obtained by crime.

At the time of his arrest, Toronto police issued a brief press release alleging that, in February 2022, Borissov stole a debit card belonging to a missing person, then gave it to a man who used it in Mississauga; police also alleged Borissov and the same man had “fraudulently obtained motor vehicles.” In June, investigators laid additional charges against Borissov, including for allegedly stealing the missing man’s watch.

The charges have not been tested in court. Borissov has been suspended with pay, a Toronto police spokesperson confirmed.

On Tuesday, Borissov made a first appearance before the Toronto police disciplinary tribunal on 16 misconduct charges under Ontario’s Police Services Act, including for alleged misconduct related to the criminal charges and new accusations of unprofessional behaviour.

The officer did not enter a plea and the tribunal case was put on hold until the conclusion of the criminal matter.

Joanne Mulcahy, the lawyer representing Borissov at the police tribunal, declined to comment Tuesday.

According to tribunal documents, Borissov was part of a team at midtown’s 53 Division tapped to investigate the Feb. 17, 2022, disappearance of a man identified in documents only as A.K. The man was found dead five days later, police say.

While in the man’s home, Borissov allegedly took a Tag Heuer watch — a luxury brand with models that retail from roughly $2,000 to more than $15,000 for high-end models.

Borissov made no note of seizing the item, then later “made efforts to sell A.K.’s watch,” police allege.

“In so doing, you have committed misconduct in that you improperly used your character and position as a member of a police force for a personal advantage,” police documents state.

After Borissov was charged in A.K.’s case, investigators allegedly discovered that he’d stolen on duty before, in May 2020.

According to the documents, after officers obtained a search warrant for Borissov’s phone, they found photo evidence that Borissov took a BMO Mastercard and Ontario driver’s license from “L.L.,” a woman found dead in her home on May 26, 2020.

The woman’s body had been discovered by her sister; Borissov was among the officers conducting the sudden death investigation.

“The Mastercard was used 16 times following May 26th, 2020,” according to the documents.

Borissov is also accused of making a prohibited search of internal police records — the Canadian Police Information Centre, or CPIC — to query V.K., someone he had a personal connection to, the documents say. He is then accused of taking a picture of the search results and sending them to a member of the public.

The officer also faces six professional misconduct charges for claiming he worked a full shift in March 2022 but instead barbequed on the balcony of an Eglinton Avenue East residence, where he is accused of staying for nearly four hours.

“You reported off duty at 9:00 p.m. and claimed that you had worked through your lunch hour. You were paid for a full day’s work,” the documents allege.

The professional misconduct allegations have not been tested at the tribunal. If found guilty of misconduct at the Toronto police tribunal officers face penalties ranging from a reprimand to dismissal.

Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing for the Star. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis