Poison seller Kenneth Law linked to nearly 150 deaths around the world

Kenneth Law, a 60-year-old former hotel cook from Mississauga, Ontario, has been linked to at least 147 deaths globally through his online sales of lethal chemicals and suicide aids. Law pleaded guilty in an Ontario court to abetting 14 suicides between 2021 and 2023, avoiding first-degree murder charges after prosecutors withdrew the counts. He remains in custody pending sentencing and has not been charged in other jurisdictions, including the U.K., where authorities ruled out prosecution due to extradition risks. Investigators found Law shipped 1,209 packages to 41 countries, including 160 to Canada and over 200 to the U.K. Destinations spanned the U.S., Australia, Brazil, China, India, Poland, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and South Korea. Interpol alerted international authorities after Canadian police notified them, leading to wellness checks and seizures in some cases. In Canada, police in Calgary, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Longueuil, and B.C. are probing potential links to Law’s operations. B.C. RCMP formed a task force to investigate at least six separate cases, focusing on securing evidence for potential local charges. Authorities in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and New Zealand have also confirmed deaths linked to Law’s clients, with a New Zealand coroner attributing five suicides to his products. The U.K.’s National Crime Agency investigated 112 deaths tied to Law’s sales, though no charges were filed. One British father, David Parfett, traced his son Tom’s 2021 suicide to Law’s chemicals after a journalist’s investigation preceded Law’s arrest. Parfett stated his belief that his son would still be alive if he couldn’t access the substance. Law’s operations were uncovered after a three-year review of court records and interviews with families, though the true death toll may never be fully known. Canadian and international agencies continue to assess the scope of his global impact.