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// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Kenneth Law a good lawyer? Law-some

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kenneth Law
Born1965 (age 60–61)
Other nameGreenberg
Alma materUniversity of Toronto
University of Waterloo
York University
Years active2020–2023
ConvictionsAiding suicide (14 counts)
Details
Victims14-147

Kenneth M. Law (born 1965) is a Canadian man who sold a lethal chemical to suicidal people from 2020 until his arrest in May 2023. Law sold packages linked to 14 deaths in Ontario, 79 deaths in the UK, and more elsewhere. His products reached 40 countries and, according to a CBC News investigation, killed at least 147 worldwide. He also actively participated in forums promoting suicide and encouraged others to kill themselves with his product.

He was initially charged with two counts of assisting suicide, with charges expanded and upgraded to 14 counts of first-degree murder relating to deaths in Ontario. These charges were ultimately downgraded and Law pled guilty to 14 counts of assisting suicide in May 2026. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2026, with deaths in the UK being taken into account.

Sodium nitrite, the substance that Law sold, is not restricted in Canada and is also a food additive. Law also sold items such as masks or hoods that were used in suicides.

Early life and career

[edit]

Kenneth M. Law[1] was born in 1965.[a] He is of East Asian descent.[4] He has an industrial engineering degree from the University of Toronto, a master's degree in management science from the University of Waterloo, and a Master of Business Administration from York University.[5] He claimed in a 2005 blog post to have worked in aerospace, finance and marketing.[6] By 2009, he had become a managing director of an automotive company.[5]

In 2009, he was interviewed by Canadian Business. He was described as a former watch collector from Thornhill who invented a wheelchair device for his elderly mother. The device, called the escMode Wheel Accessory, makes stairs compatible with wheelchairs. He was looking into protecting the intellectual property and constructing a prototype model, estimating that it would cost C$100,000. He entered his design into the Great Canadian Innovation Competition and hoped that his invention would become ubiquitous worldwide.[5] Years later, in an interview with The Times, he further detailed that his mother suffered a stroke and was bed-ridden for seven years, relying on a feeding tube. He also added that his religious father did not believe in euthanasia. The Times could not independently verify his claims, and a family member contacted by The Times disavowed Law entirely.[7]

In 2016, wanting a "lifestyle change",[7] he found employment as a cook at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, where he was filmed partaking in a labour union turf dispute.[8] Toronto Life reported that Law performed poorly, frequently argued with his coworkers and had few friends there. He once complained of age discrimination.[9] The hotel's kitchen shut down early on in the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada,[9] and the unemployed Law[10] filed for bankruptcy, owing over C$134,000.[6]

Online businesses

[edit]
A clump of white, flaky sodium nitrite on a clear plate, resting on a light-coloured table
A sample of sodium nitrite

Sodium nitrite is a chemical that can be toxic in sufficient quantities and is also a food additive.[11] According to Toronto Life, it was relatively unknown outside of the restaurant and healthcare industries before 2018, when Exit International founder Philip Nitschke promoted it as a method to commit suicide;[9] Nitschke claims to have directly introduced Law to the substance.[12] Law sourced his supply from China and stored it in his house.[13]

According to a statement of fact that Law accepted in 2026, Law operated four companies that sold sodium nitrite, in addition to equipment such as masks or hoods that can be used for suicide,[14] with instructions for use.[15] A woman who claims to be one of Law's customers described one of Law's sites as being similar to Amazon, even having tracking numbers for products.[16] Law disguised his sites as food-prep shops; he offered items such as hot sauce[15] and included a fried chicken recipe on a site.[17] In the period between January 1, 2020, and May 23, 2023, Law earned about C$297,000 from his online businesses.[18]

Posing as a doctor from New York,[19] Law promoted his products on Sanctioned Suicide[20] and ran a pro-suicide blog under the account name Greenberg. Google took down the Greenberg blog a day after The Times published the exposé on Law.[19]

Investigation and arrest

[edit]
Kenneth Law's arrest
Exclusive photo of Law being arrested in Mississauga obtained by Global News
video icon Law's arrest

After Tom Parfett, a British man, committed suicide in 2021 with sodium nitrite supplied by Kenneth Law,[21] Parfett's father tipped off James Beal, a reporter with The Times. Beal went undercover as a potential customer to record Law, and captured him confessing to selling a product that killed "many, many, many people".[9] Beal published an article in April 2023 linking Law to seven deaths.[11] Shortly afterwards, Law gave an interview to The Globe and Mail arguing that he had "no control" over what his customers did with the sodium nitrite and was thus not criminally responsible. He also accused The Times of misrepresenting his words.[11]

Peel Regional Police had been probing a suspicious death involving sodium nitrite since March 31.[22] In April 2023, after Beal emailed the force about investigating the suicides, they urgently reviewed past cases of sodium nitrite poisonings. They began intercepting Law's packages by April 27, and arrested him at his Mississauga residence on May 2.[23] That month, 11 Ontario police agencies united to create a task force investigating Law's activities.[24] Police agencies in the U.S., U.K., Italy, Australia, and New Zealand also began investigating him,[25] but he was only prosecuted in Ontario.[26] According to a CBC News tally, Law's products are linked to 147 suicides worldwide.[27] The task force investigating Law estimated that he sent 1,209 packages to 41 countries through his companies,[28] but could not say how many contained sodium nitrite.[22]

[edit]

Criminal case

[edit]

Law's legal case unfolded in the Superior Court of Justice in Newmarket.[18] Legal experts describe the Law case as unprecedented;[29] unusually, Law was not accused of selling an illegal or restricted substance.[30]

He was initially charged with two counts of counselling or aiding suicide in relation to two Peel Region deaths.[31] In August 2023, Law was charged with 12 more counts of counselling or aiding suicide for other Ontario deaths.[32] He was additionally charged with 14 counts of second-degree murder in December,[33] which were upgraded to first-degree murder the following month.[34] In March 2024, Law maintained his innocence, with his lawyer stating that Law only sold an "otherwise legal product on the open market".[35] In April 2025, Law lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleging mistreatment and neglect in prison; he subsequently abandoned the complaint.[4]

His trial was originally to take place during September and October 2025.[36] In September 2024, the Crown requested that the Supreme Court of Canada give an opinion on whether assisting suicide can be charged as murder after the Ontario Court of Appeals ruled, in a case unrelated to that of Law, that merely providing the means to commit suicide does not constitute murder.[37] This appeal caused Law's trial to be delayed to January 2026,[38] then spring 2026.[39] The Supreme Court did not unambiguously resolve this matter by the time of Law's conviction in May 2026,[40][15] leaving the Ontario Court of Appeals ruling standing. This made it impossible to move forward with a murder prosecution.[14]

On May 29, 2026, Law pleaded guilty to assisting the suicides of 14 Ontarians,[27] while prosecutors dismissed the murder charges as part of a plea deal.[41] Law also admitted responsibility for 79 suicides in the UK. He is expected to be sentenced in September 2026, with the British deaths taken into account.[18] As of May 2026, he has continuously been in custody since his initial arrest.[14]

Civil case

[edit]

In September 2024, the family of Jeshennia Bedoya Lopez, an Ontario woman who committed suicide, filed a lawsuit against him in the Superior Court of Justice. Law allegedly supplied her the means to kill herself. Seven of Lopez's doctors were also named in the lawsuit for allegedly failing to provide adequate care. They announced that they were seeking damages from both Law and the doctors.[42]

Social impact

[edit]

After Law's May 2023 arrest, Google Trends registered a spike in interest in sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, presumably confused for the former, in Canada. A smaller spike in searches for these two terms occurred in August, when Law was additionally charged.[43] Channel 4 commissioned a two-part documentary about Law, Poisoned: Killer in the Post,[44] which aired in July 2025.[45] Law has been described as a serial killer,[46] or something similar to one, by the press. A criminologist likened him to cult leaders and "angel of death" murderers.[47] A relative of one of Law's British victims described Law as "one of the most prolific mass killers in British modern history".[48]

The families of Law's victims in the UK have called for a public inquiry.[49] They formally petitioned for one in October 2025, but were rejected in March 2026.[15]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Law was both 57[2] and 58 in the calendar year of 2023.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Beal, James (July 2, 2025). "The moment I confronted the poison poster who is accused of 14 murders". The Times. Retrieved July 6, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  2. ↑ D'Andrea, Aaron (September 1, 2023). "Who is Kenneth Law? What we know as police worldwide investigate Canadian man". Global News. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Former chef Kenneth Law charged with 14 counts of murder for selling kits that led to suicides in Canada". CBS News. December 12, 2023. Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Hager, Mike (December 4, 2025). "Kenneth Law, accused of selling deadly substances online, says rights violated in prison". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Watson, Thomas, Canadian Business, 00083100, 6/16/2009, Vol. 82, Issue 11
  6. 1 2 Mosleh, Omar (January 31, 2024). "Who is Kenneth Law? What we know about the Canadian facing 14 counts of second-degree murder". Toronto Star. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  7. 1 2 Beal, James (May 27, 2024). "Revealed: the chef selling poison to suicidal youngsters". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  8. ↑ Woodard, Jonathan (August 27, 2023). "'It's sickening': Mother demands justice as deaths possibly tied to alleged suicide salesman rise to over 100". CP24. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Rinaldi, Luc (October 31, 2023). "Merchant of Death". Toronto Life. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023.
  10. ↑ Keogh, Glen (May 28, 2024). "How they caught the Poison King selling death by post". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved May 28, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  11. 1 2 3 Freeze, Colin; Hager, Mike (April 25, 2023). "Peel Police investigate Ontario man shipping substance used in suicides". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on March 5, 2025. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ Manning, Sanchez (October 16, 2025). "I introduced accused killer to lethal poison, says 'Dr Death'". The Times. Describing how Law first came across the poison, Nitschke said: "An entrepreneurial character, who came to my workshop in Toronto a while ago when I told them about this wonderful new substance, decided to start selling it — a chap called Ken Law. "And he sold it and sold it and sold it to anyone who wanted it."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  13. ↑ Beal, James; Roe, Will; Rinaldi, Luc (May 31, 2026). "Canadian 'poison seller' admits aiding 14 suicides". The Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Jones, Ryan Patrick (May 29, 2026). "Canadian who sold lethal chemical online pleads guilty to aiding suicides, avoids murder trial". Reuters.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Cecco, Leyland (May 29, 2026). "Canadian man admits sending 'suicide packets' to hundreds of people around world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  16. ↑ Callan, Isaac; McDonald, Catherine (January 30, 2024). "Alleged Kenneth Law victim says suicide website was 'like shopping on Amazon'". Global News. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  17. ↑ Keogh, Glen (May 28, 2024). "How they caught the Poison King selling death by post". The Times. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 Levenson, Michael (May 29, 2026). "Canadian Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding 14 Suicides". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  19. 1 2 Beal, James (February 19, 2024). "Kenneth Law posed as doctor to lure victims to poison, police fear". The Times. Archived from the original on July 3, 2025. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ Brean, Joseph (May 29, 2026). "Ontario man who made more than $300K selling suicide poison to children and adults pleads guilty". National Post.
  21. ↑ "The 79 UK victims linked to online poison seller Kenneth Law". The Independent. June 1, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  22. 1 2 "Detroit mom whose son died after consuming chemical bought online pushes for change". CBC News. May 8, 2025.
  23. ↑ Freeze, Colin (October 15, 2024). "Media questions spurred criminal investigation into Kenneth Law, court documents say". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved July 4, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  24. ↑ Rodrigues, Gabby (August 29, 2023). "12 more charges laid against Ontario man accused of aiding suicides". Global News. Archived from the original on May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  25. ↑ "88 deaths linked to Canadian self-harm websites as U.K. opens investigation". CBS News. August 25, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  26. ↑ Yousif, Nadine (February 2, 2024). "Canadian 'poison killer' Kenneth Law to head straight to trial". Archived from the original on May 29, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  27. 1 2 Daigle, Thomas (May 29, 2026). "Poison seller Kenneth Law linked to nearly 150 deaths around the world". CBC News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  28. ↑ Cecco, Leyland (August 29, 2023). "New charges for Canadian accused of selling drugs to people at risk of suicide". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  29. ↑ Mosleh, Omar (September 25, 2024). "'Uncharted waters': He's been linked to deaths around the world. Why legal, cybercrime experts will be watching Kenneth Law's Canadian murder trial". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 4, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  30. ↑ Mosleh, Omar (September 20, 2024). "Why the Kenneth Law murder case is unique among high-profile homicides". Toronto Star. Retrieved July 7, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. ↑ Finucane, Declan (August 29, 2023). "Probe of lethal drug sales online leads to dozen more charges against Mississauga man". INsauga. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  32. ↑ "Police lay 12 new charges against Mississauga, Ont., man accused of selling deadly substance". RCI (in Canadian French). August 29, 2023. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  33. ↑ Woodard, Jonathan (December 11, 2023). "Kenneth Law charged with 14 counts of murder in Ontario sodium nitrite deaths". CP24. Archived from the original on May 27, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  34. ↑ Arsenych, Alex (January 25, 2024). "Kenneth Law now facing upgraded murder charges in Ontario sodium nitrite deaths: sources". CP24. Archived from the original on May 26, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  35. ↑ Daigle, Thomas (March 21, 2024). "Quebec deaths probed for links to alleged poison seller Kenneth Law". CBC News.
  36. ↑ Daigle, Thomas (June 28, 2024). "Murder trial for alleged poison seller Kenneth Law set for Sept. 2025, families told". CBC News. Archived from the original on August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  37. ↑ Freeze, Colin (September 24, 2024). "Crown calls on Supreme Court to clarify liability in suicide cases before Kenneth Law trial". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Trial of Kenneth Law postponed to 2026". CBC News. January 9, 2025. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025.
  39. ↑ Daigle, Thomas (October 17, 2025). "Murder trial for alleged poison seller Kenneth Law delayed until spring 2026". CBC News.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  40. ↑ Brean, Joseph (May 28, 2026). "Can suicide be murder? With Kenneth Law to plead guilty to lesser charge, we may never know". National Post.
  41. ↑ Gillies, Rob (May 29, 2026). "Canadian man pleads guilty to selling lethal substances to people who killed themselves". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2026. Retrieved June 9, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Kenneth Law, who sold poisonous chemical linked to 131 deaths, sued by Ontario teen's parents". RCI. September 23, 2024. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  43. ↑ Sinyor, Mark; Fraser, Lorna; Reidenberg, Dan; Yip, Paul S. F.; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas (January 19, 2024). "The Kenneth Law Media Event – A Dangerous Natural Experiment". Crisis. 45 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000942. ISSN 0227-5910. PMID 38252508.
  44. ↑ Saner, Emine (July 2, 2025). "'I was constantly scared of what she was going to do': the troubled life and shocking death of Immy Nunn". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  45. ↑ Richardson, Hollie; Harrison, Phil; Virtue, Graeme; Davies, Hannah J.; Heritage, Stuart (July 9, 2025). "TV tonight: on the trail of the man accused of murder by mail". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on July 21, 2025. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  46. ↑ Jouan, Hélène (September 27, 2023). "In Canada, Kenneth Law, the postal serial killer". Le Monde. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  47. ↑ Gramenz, Emilie; Miller, Barbara (September 14, 2023). "This Canadian man may have sold 1,200 poison kits around the world. Some ended up in Australia". ABC News. Retrieved June 10, 2026.
  48. ↑ Cecco, Leyland (May 29, 2026). "'It was too easy': families ask how Kenneth Law enabled so many suicides". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  49. ↑ Wooton-Cane, Nicole (June 19, 2026). "'My sister was groomed to her death online. It's a national scandal'". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 20, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
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