Court documents reveal that the alleged plot against a jail official, which sparked the investigation known as Project South involving police corruption and organized crime, was orchestrated by suspects using fake identities on a secure messaging platform.
Prior to the purported assassination attempt, the suspects reportedly exchanged personal details and photos of the target, an unnamed senior corrections officer at the Toronto South Detention Centre, using the Signal app.
These revelations are outlined in a legal submission submitted by Crown prosecutors in Ontario Superior Court. The document draws from conversations found on confiscated cellphones, depicting an alleged network of hired assassins linked to the attempted murder.
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The probe into Project South was launched in June 2025 following the foiled alleged murder attempt by York Regional Police, who intervened after the suspect vehicle collided with a police car stationed outside the jail official’s residence.
Initially, nearly 30 individuals were charged in connection with Project South, including seven Toronto police officers and a retired constable. One officer, who has retired since, admitted guilt last month while a civilian’s charge was dropped.
‘Need the hit squad’
On June 16, 2025, four days before the interception of the alleged murder attempt, Dequon Lemonious, identified by prosecutors as “Danny Phantom” on Signal, allegedly asked Median Jackson, known as “Lebron James,” to scout an address to verify the presence of a vehicle.
