Paul Zaidan admitted to having participated in the kidnapping of the president of Chez Cora restaurants and to having demanded a ransom of 11 million dollars, Friday at the Laval courthouse. He was sentenced to two years in house arrest.
The fact of having pleaded guilty before Judge François Dadour of the Superior Court of Quebec avoids the holding of a second trial. The first had aborted in February 2022, because the jury had not been able to agree on a verdict.
Paul Zaidan, ex-franchisee of Chez Cora, therefore admitted to having appeared at the home of Nicholas Tsouflidis on March 8, 2017 in the evening with other individuals who were never identified by the police.
“The victim is kidnapped by three kidnappers. [Elle] is transported in the trunk of a vehicle that she identifies as Volvo, her hands are tied with tie wraps [tie-wrap]. While in the trunk of the vehicle, the victim [fait] a 911 call indicating that she has just been abducted,” the joint statement of facts reads.
Nicholas Tsouflidis is brought to a residence in Laval, rented by Paul Zaidan under a false identity. He is brought to the basement of the house and is tied with chains, PVC cables and cable ties. He is monitored with a baby monitor.
On March 9, 2017, the victim’s mother received a call from a man asking her to come to the victim’s home. There, the police discover an $11 million ransom note on a kitchen counter. The letter indicates that bank transfers must be confirmed to an email address created by Paul Zaidan a few days earlier.
Around 6 a.m., the president of Chez Cora was released along a Laval country road by masked men. “The victim then has his wrists bound with wide tape, tape is also around his head and he has his pants at his ankles. The victim will be rescued by passers-by,” continues the joint statement of facts.
Paul Zaidan also admitted to obtaining a baby monitor, chains, padlocks, PVC cables, tie wraps and cable ties in the days leading up to the abduction. He was also the one who rented the Volvo car which was used to kidnap Nicholas Tsouflidis.
After he pleaded guilty, Judge François Dadour asked 54-year-old Paul Zaidan if he would like to speak. He refused.
“In the case of Mr. Zaidan, I note that the facts are serious, but that the agreed statement of facts does not portray him as a main actor in the case […] Finally, his guilty plea spares Mr. Tsouflidis from testifying again and the company from holding a trial by jury for a second time”, indicated Judge Dadour before ratifying the sentence suggested by the two parties.
The Chez Cora breakfast restaurants reacted to the announcement of Paul Zaidan’s guilt, in a press release.
“My family and I are relieved that this legal process is over, reassured that the accused has declared himself guilty and happy to finally be able to put this ordeal behind us,” said Nicolas Tsouflidis.
His mother and founder of the restaurant chain, Cora Tsouflidou, also said she could finally “turn to the future”. “I am happy that this difficult history is behind us,” she said.