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8 additional alleged victims claim man failed to disclose HIV status: Toronto police

Toronto police have laid eight additional counts of aggravated sexual assault against Ala Al Safi, 27. Handout / Toronto Police Service

Eight alleged victims have come forward in an aggravated sexual assault investigation, after a Toronto man was charged last month for allegedly failing to disclose his HIV status to two partners.

Toronto police said the man was diagnosed with HIV in February 2011.

In the two previous reported incidents released in June, police said the man engaged in intimate relationships with male partners after having met them online through a personal ad or dating website.

It’s alleged on both encounters, the man failed to disclose his HIV status to his partners and both victims were diagnosed with HIV.

In an update on Friday, Toronto police said they believe the accused had intimate relationships with eight other men ranging from 18- to 28-years-old between December 2011 and March 2017, where he allegedly failed to disclose his HIV status to them.

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On Thursday, 27-year-old Ala Al Safi was charged with an additional eight counts of aggravated sexual assault, in addition to the two counts he was previously facing.

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He was scheduled to appear in a Toronto court on Friday morning.

Police said Safi may have also gone by the names of Ala El Deen and Ala Mode. It’s believed there may be more victims in connection with the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 416-808-7474 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

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