With the Toronto mayoral by-election less than two weeks away, you've probably heard of candidate and businessman Gong Xiao Hua by now.

If you somehow haven't, venture literally ten feet out your door, look to the left and right, and there's is a decent statistical probability that you will see one of Hua's countless election signs — often erected in dense clusters on public property and rarely on an actual private residence's lawn.

Mayoral candidate criticized for littering Toronto with way too many election signs https://t.co/ViaNf7N02G #Toronto #TOpoli

— blogTO (@blogTO) June 6, 2023

Accompanying this seemingly endless supply of election signs, Hua's omnipresent campaign has also permeated every layer of ad space in Toronto, from the sides of TTC buses plying city streets all the way up to the massive illuminated signs looming over Yonge and Dundas. Gong is everywhere.

My man Gong putting money right into the TTC. pic.twitter.com/NjsbH5GsFJ

— Richard Warnica (@richardwarnica) June 14, 2023

But the sudden and meteoric rise of Gong Xiao Hua's visage on lawns, transit vehicles, television and social media ads, and even above the city's busiest intersection —- all while barely registering in the polls —- has a few commenters questioning the validity and motivation behind the candidate's apparent heavy spending on his campaign.

I predict Gong won’t file financial statements at the end of the campaign. We’ll never know how much he spent, where the money came from, or who his suppliers were. https://t.co/1CJ0NqYXHy

— Adam Chaleff (@AdamCF) June 14, 2023

It doesn't take even the slightest bit of digging to uncover Gong Xiao Hua has a somwhat shady past.

According to a 2021 article published by the Globe and Mail, Gong got his start as a theatre director in China before moving to Canada in 2002 and earning his citizenship in 2008. Gong built up his wealth by growing a North American empire that included several hotels in Toronto and two Chinese-language TV channels in Canada.

However, Gong has faced significant legal challenges over a fraud investigation dating back several years.

In 2017, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced that Hua, (also known as Edward Gong) had been arrested and charged with fraud and related offences following a lengthy investigation.

In relation to the OSC charges, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Toronto Police executed 2017 search warrants on locations in North York that included Gong's residence and alleged place of business.

In 2021, Gong Xiao Hua was forced to forfeit more than $60 million CAD to the New Zealand government as part of an alleged multi-national pyramid scheme and money-laundering operation related to the OSC case, that country's largest-ever forfeiture under the 2009 Criminal Proceeds Recovery Act.

"This outcome sends a simple message to criminals around the world — send your dirty money to New Zealand and you will lose it," said New Zealand Police Detective Inspector Craig Hamilton at the time of the forfeiture.

Just one year ago, the Capital Markets Tribunal issued a statement warning that Gong's "continued capacity to participate in Ontario capital markets poses significant risks," citing his operation of "a fraudulent pyramid scheme involving over 40,000 investors and hundreds of millions of dollars."

As for his 2023 campaign, Gong's spending appears to be racking up through high-profile ad placements and copious lawn signs.

During the 2022 municipal election, mayoral candidates were permitted to spend $7500 plus $0.85 per eligible elector on their campaigns, which added up to a max spending cap of $1,616,751.45.

Assuming similar caps are in place for the 2023 by-election to replace the vacant mayoral seat, one can only wonder how many more signs Gong can print out before he finds his campaign in violation of spending limits.