Canada12 September, 20263 min read
Calgary Police Charge Kanureet Kaur, 17-Year-Old Boy In WhatsApp Extortion Case
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Two adults and one youth charged in March 25, 2026 WhatsApp extortion case in Calgary. Victim received WhatsApp demands for money; case escalated to a drive-by shooting.
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WhatsApp threats lead to shooting
Calgary police charged three people in an extortion case that began when a woman started receiving demands for money on WhatsApp on March 25, with messages that included repeated clear threats of violence.
“Police say the woman started getting demands for money on March 25 through the messaging app WhatsApp.”
About 12 hours after the first demand, someone fired a gun at the woman’s home before driving away, police said, and investigators gathered evidence including CCTV video from the area.
The Calgary Police Service said the extortion case involved intimidation of a Calgary woman earlier this year that led to a shooting outside her residence, with the shooting taking place outside of her residence in Skyview Ranch Northeast.
Police said a 17-year-old boy was arrested on July 29 for his involvement in facilitating the communication between the woman and the people making threats, and he was charged with one count of extortion before being released.
In a separate charge, police said Kanureet Kaur, 23, of Chestermere, was arrested on Sept. 8 for allegedly providing personal information that helped the suspects find and frighten the victim’s family.
Bell: investigation far from over
At a news conference on Friday, Calgary Police Service said Kanureet Kaur and a 17-year-old male were arrested and charged with one count of extortion, while 21-year-old Tanveer Singh remains at large on a warrant for possession of stolen property over $5,000. Police said Singh is described as 5' 8" tall and approximately 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, and they said the stolen vehicle he is linked to was used during the shooting. CPS superintendent Jeff Bell said, "While these charges are an important step, this investigation is far from over," as police continued to ask the public to help identify everyone involved.
Bell also told CityNews Calgary that the youth’s involvement reflects how vulnerable people can be drawn into criminal activity, saying, "There are vulnerable groups of people in society that can be targeted to do crimes that they would not normally do." Police said the case is part of a larger extortion series targeting Calgary’s South Asian community, with 51 extortion-related incidents reported in the city since April 2025 and 19 shootings among them.
Charges, court date, and risk
Kaur is set to appear in court on Oct. 6 after police arrested her on Sept. 8 and charged her with one count of extortion, while the 17-year-old youth cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
“Kanureet KAUR, 23, of Chestermere, has been charged with one count of extortion.”
Police said the March 25 WhatsApp messages included detailed knowledge of the victim’s personal and business affairs, including her full name, address, business information and information about her family members, and investigators said the caller repeatedly attempted to contact the victim and made explicit threats of violence.
The City of Calgary newsroom said investigators arrested a woman on Tuesday, Sept. 8, who allegedly provided personal information that enabled suspects to identify, locate and intimidate the victim and her family, and it said Kanureet KAUR, 23, of Chestermere, has been charged with one count of extortion.
Calgary police said the series began in April 2025 and that, to date, 19 people have been charged with 59 offences in relation to the Calgary series, which has included 19 shootings targeting both extortion victims and suspects.
Police said a photo of Tanveer SINGH, 21, of Calgary, is available as they seek public assistance to locate a third individual wanted on a warrant for possession of a stolen vehicle used during the shooting, and they reiterated that anyone with information can call police at 403-266-1234.