Former undercover informant sues RCMP, federal government
Paul Derry says he was abused while working as underage operative in the Maritimes
A former undercover police informant is suing the federal government and the RCMP for abuse he says he suffered while working as an underage operative in the Maritimes.
Paul Derry started working undercover at the age of 15. At 17, he says he infiltrated a child sex ring operating out of a motel in Moncton.
Now, more than 40 years later, Derry has launched a civil lawsuit for the abuse he says he suffered while working for the police. Derry said the experience has left him with questions.
“What were you thinking when you put a 17-year-old, or even a couple of years before a 15-year-old, what were you thinking to use somebody like that?” Derry said in an interview earlier this week.
The language in his lawsuit is even more blunt.
“The essence of the original claim is the RCMP sent a minor into a location where they knew minor Paul Derry was going to be molested.”
A statement of defence has not yet been filed.
CBC News contacted the RCMP about the allegations. In response, a spokesperson said the RCMP cannot provide details because the matter is before the courts.
While Derry is asking for damages in his lawsuit, he said he doesn’t expect to get much, especially not when compared to the time and effort he’s invested so far.
“I understand the legal system enough to know that it never really gets you money and it really drains you a lot,” Derry said.
“My psychologist asked me, 'Do you think the principle was worth the cost?' And it was one of the deciding factors. I came to the conclusion that, yes, the principle is worth the cost.”
Derry says there is more than money behind his lawsuit. “I don't want to see it happen to anyone else. I think they use vulnerable people too often for things and this is just a real good example of vulnerability.”
Derry’s undercover work went on for years and led to the convictions of dozens of people, including Hells Angels hitmen.
Death threats
His work led to death threats and he spent several years in witness protection.
“Any time I went to the Maritimes I was delivered into the hands of an Emergency Response Team member at the very least, if we didn't have the whole [team]. Obviously, the whole team would have been in and around court for hearings.
“But I still was always protected.”
That’s why Derry was surprised and concerned when government lawyers proposed moving the lawsuit from the federal court, where he’d filed it, to New Brunswick provincial court in Moncton.
“In 2019 it was deemed a threat area to me by the RCMP and now they're asking me to go back there,” Derry said.
“It's quite obvious that I testified against the Hells Angels in Halifax, two hours away. They know that … that I did most of my work in Moncton. I did it for them. So why would they ever think that New Brunswick is the right venue?"
His lawyer is more succinct in the lawsuit.
“Dead witnesses and dead plaintiffs do not serve the interests of justice. The plaintiff cannot have a fair trial in New Brunswick,” the court document reads.
“The RCMP should not even be suggesting it, especially without even having done a recent threat assessment.”
Derry said even if he’s forced to agree to a change of venue, he is determined to see it through.
He said if he had to do it over again, he's not sure he would have filed a lawsuit.
"I would have tried my best to get an inquiry into all of this as opposed to just filing a lawsuit, because, ultimately, I'd like to see this in the public for them to examine it and make all the changes that should be made.”
He said the fight so far has taken a toll on him and his family.
“I've resigned myself to the fact I'll be dead and gone and hopefully my children will see some resolution to the things that they've had to deal with and the life they've had to live with, being around me.”
Derry's allegations have not been tested in court.
Former undercover informant sues RCMP, federal governmentABOUT THE AUTHOR
- Lawfare inside the RCMP and DOJ
- The mental health crisis within policing
- Institutional betrayal and lack of accountability
- The human cost of broken systems
- The role of faith in healing and justice
- What they hope to achieve with Obscene Reality
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The biggest betrayal and moral injury results when good people learn that they are disposable when the interests of Commisioned Officers and the organization conflict with the truth.
“You are party of a family” indoctrination for members starts in training but is abandoned the minute the organization starts seeks to protect its Commissioned Officers and their government masters. Like informants and agents, members are all disposable.
It’s all smoke and mirrors; classic rhetoric vs reality.
I pray that there are enough integral men and women still inside the RCMP with the courage of conviction and strength of character to stand for honesty and integrity.
A great first step towards reform is shining a light on the roles of National Advisory Services and the DOJ in hiding any inconvenient truth at a tremendous cost to those impacted.
Looking forward to more discusssions on the hashtagobscenereality.
Just my thoughts for those who may be walking the line and are debating whether to join us in making a change.
Thank you.
EDUCATION● ADVOCACY● ACTION
OBSCENE REALITY
Obscene Reality – Exposing the System. Elevating the Truth.
Obscene Reality is a no-holds-barred podcast that tears through the polished veneer of Canadian justice to expose the rot beneath. It’s raw. It’s unfiltered. And it’s driven by a singular purpose: to confront the systemic failure, institutional corruption, and moral decay within the RCMP and the broader civil and criminal court systems—and to force the conversations that powerful institutions avoid at all costs.
This isn’t theory. This isn’t secondhand.
This is truth from men who’ve lived it.
Paul Derry, a former RCMP informant and agent, was embedded deep in the criminal underworld—used, discarded, and left to live with the aftermath of operations the public never sees.
Rob Sidhu, a former undercover officer turned organized crime drug importer, operated on both sides of the law and knows how easily the system blurs that line when it serves its own interest.
Chris Williams, a former RCMP officer, saw firsthand how the institution protects itself, often at the expense of justice and those it claims to serve.
Together, they invite guests—survivors, insiders, victims, whistleblowers, lawyers, and even the accused—to speak freely, without censorship or spin. The mission is simple, but dangerous: expose the stories that have been buried, suppressed, or deliberately erased by a justice system that is anything but just.
With a focus on the RCMP, and the civil and criminal courts of Canada, each episode peels back another layer of failure—wrongful convictions, abuses of power, corrupted investigations, institutional betrayal—and looks at the devastating, real-world consequences: fractured families, destroyed reputations, mental collapse, and lives lost to silence.
But Obscene Reality doesn’t stop at exposure. It demands change.
Through open dialogue and brutal honesty, the podcast seeks to spark real, substantive reform. Not just surface-level apologies or cosmetic policies, but deep, structural accountability—the kind that makes sure the next victim doesn’t have to start a podcast to be heard.
This isn’t commentary from the sidelines.
This is truth from the inside of the machine—from those who built it, broke it, survived it, and now refuse to stay quiet.
Obscene Reality is justice, untangled. Truth, unfiltered. And silence, finally broken.
Meet the Hosts
Rob Sidhu
Former RCMP Officer Turned Organized Crime Figure | Criminal Justice Advocate | Podcast Co-Host | Author
Born into a hardworking immigrant family in Mission, B.C., I was raised in Abbotsford,where I spent my formative years working on the family farm. Instilled with discipline and a strong work ethic, I joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to pursue a career in law enforcement.
While with the RCMP, I specialized in high-risk undercover operations, completing the elite Operational Undercover Training Course (OUT 69). I was embedded in investigations targeting homicides, drug trafficking, and national security threats. However, unlike most undercover operators who return to traditional law enforcement roles, my path took an unprecedented turn—I became deeply entrenched in the world I once investigated. I lived within organized crime for over a decade, gaining an unparalleled firsthand perspective that extended far beyond any police operation.
This experience gave me a rare, dual-sided understanding of the criminal underworld and the justice system. Drawing from my lived experiences on both sides of the law, I advocate for meaningful criminal justice and prison reform. I speak candidly about the urgent need for rehabilitation, restorative justice, and systemic change—focusing on the root causes of crime rather than just its symptoms.
One of my key areas of advocacy is dismantling discriminatory hiring practices that prevent individuals with criminal records from securing meaningful employment. These barriers often trap well-intentioned former offenders in cycles of recidivism despite their genuine efforts to reintegrate and contribute positively to society.
In my public speaking engagements, I offer an unflinching account of my transformation—from a law enforcement officer to a key figure in organized crime and, ultimately, to an advocate for reform. I share the stark realities of that life, the choices that led me there, and the lengthy, challenging road to redemption.
Beyond providing insight into the criminal underworld, my presentations serve as a vital resource for law enforcement officers confronting the psychological and moral challenges of undercover work. By illuminating the mental toll, ethical dilemmas, and identity struggles associated with deep-cover operations, I aim to initiate discussions about improved support systems for officers—helping them manage the unique pressures of their role before it leads them down a destructive path.
Today, I use my unique perspective to advocate for real change. As the co-host of Obscene Reality, I engage in raw, thought-provoking conversations with experts, former offenders, law enforcement professionals, and reform advocates, challenging conventional narratives and sparking dialogue on solutions that matter.
Connect with Rob:
LinkedIn: @Rapinder “Rob” Singh Sidhu
Podcast: Obscene Reality
Paul Derry
Podcast Co-Host | Author | Speaker | Former RCMP Agent
At the young age of 15, Paul Derry was cultivated by the RCMP to act as an informant and, in later years, as an agent. Paul went from being a petty drug dealer in those formative years to ending his career with a Hells Angels ordered murder.
Paul's colourful past has given him a unique perspective on topics such as recidivism and change. Paul once managed a criminal empire rooted in greed and violence, later turning from this lifestyle to one of giving back and advocacy.
As an author, interactive speaker, and former RCMP Informant, Paul Derry demonstrates, using his hard-won wisdom and life experience, how the concepts of trust, loyalty, and master manipulation impact every sphere of human life.
Paul frequently discusses policing, courts, prison reform, undercover work, and issues that impede the justice system; his more passionate discussions revolve around the folly of Canada's Witness Protection Program.
As an advocate, he focuses a great deal on transferable skills, teaching those coming out of the prison system, those on the street, or businesses how all talents and experiences that a person has mastered in an underhanded way can be used to succeed on the right side of the law.
Paul was pardoned in 2010 and now speaks on various topics for police forces, criminology classes, churches, schools, and businesses of all sizes.
Since 2002, Paul has worked with multiple non-profits, including a street ministry working to take child prostitutes off the streets. He has worked to rehabilitate those with drug addictions. He has assisted others with criminal records to find meaningful employment and develop the life skills and relationships vital to breaking the incarceration cycle.
Contact Paul:
LinkedIn: Paul Derry
X: Paul Derry
Email: info@paulderry.ca
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Paul Derry Author