An Indian-born man who fled Canada the day after an Ontario jury convicted him of sexual assault and extortion has been sentenced in absentia to seven years in prison. The offender, identified only as H.B. in a recent decision from Ontario's Superior Court of Justice, was in an intimate partner relationship with his victim, a new Canadian also from India.
Details of the Assaults
Justice Stephen T. Bale described the assaults as brutal and degrading. The first assault occurred at the victim's home, which should have been a place of safety. H.B. used threats of exposing intimate photos to coerce the victim into sex against her will. As a new Canadian, the victim was vulnerable; H.B. told her that no one would believe her, that authorities would not help, and that he knew how the Canadian legal system worked and would not be held responsible.
Flight from Justice
H.B. crossed into the United States at Highgate Springs, Vermont, on Halloween 2025. On November 2, he flew from Boston to Zurich, Switzerland. He was booked on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston on November 18 but failed to board. Crown counsel argued that H.B. had absconded, and the judge agreed to proceed with sentencing in his absence.
The trial concluded at 6:18 p.m. on October 30, 2025, and the following day, H.B. left the country. The judge noted that this was not a simple case of failing to appear for sentencing.
Background of the Offender
H.B., 31, came to Canada seven years ago as a post-graduate student. At the time of his trial, he worked as a software developer for a Montreal-based company.
Victim's Story
The victim came to Canada from India in 2022. She lived with her brother and sister-in-law and worked in the information technology sector. In her mid-thirties, she felt her biological clock ticking and wished to meet a man, settle down, get married, and have children. She joined Bumble, a dating app, in December 2022.
H.B. and the woman met on Bumble. They shared the same religion and came from the same state in India. After a long phone conversation, they decided to meet in person. Their first date took place on December 7, 2022.
The court heard that H.B.'s actions were calculated and predatory. The victim's vulnerability as a new immigrant was exploited. The seven-year sentence reflects the severity of the crimes.
