[CPProt.net] Myriam Bedard's boyfriend arrested for theft of paintings valued at $100, 000

[MSN CPPnet]

Myriam Bedard's boyfriend arrested for theft of paintings valued at $100,000

July 7, 2005

MONTREAL (CP) - The boyfriend of Olympic gold medallist Myriam Bedard was
arrested Wednesday in the alleged theft of paintings valued at $100,000,
Quebec provincial police said.

Writer Nima Mazhari, 50, is accused of stealing about 20 paintings and will
appear in court on Aug. 9. Provincial police wouldn't reveal the artist
involved but a recent police search warrant indicates the paintings belong
to Montreal artist Ghitta Caiserman.

Caiserman and Mazhari shared a studio and in 2001 she became seriously ill.
The paintings were later reported missing.

Bedard won two gold medals at the 1994 Winter Olympics in the biathlon.

She made headlines in 2004 when she said she was forced from her job at Via
Rail for asking questions about the federal sponsorship program.

Bedard also credited Mazhari for persuading then-prime minister Jean
Chretien for keeping Canada out of the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003.

http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050706/CPN/39478026