Corruption: the ex-CEO of SNC-Lavalin blamed by a disciplinary council

The former big boss of SNC-Lavalin Jacques Lamarre was found guilty by the disciplinary council of the Quebec Order of Engineers to have notably “tolerated a system of corruption and collusion” when he was at the head of the genius firm.

After about two years of investigation, the final decision of some 300 pages fell on August 1. Radio-Canada obtained it before it was made public.

Jacques Lamarre was found guilty of 7 of the 14 chiefs who weighed against him, for events between 2000 and 2009. They are all linked to the corruption scandals that splashed SNC-Lavalin (become Atkinsrelis) ten years ago.

This case had, among other things, led to the conviction for the corruption of two former senior leaders of the genius firm, Riadh Ben Aïssa and Sami Bedawi. A subsidiary of the company also pleaded guilty to an accusation of fraud.

For his part, Jacques Lamarre, a Quebec giant inc. Who directed SNC-Lavalin from 1996 until his retirement in 2009, was never accused of the criminal, the proof having been deemed insufficient to move forward.

We are currently analyzing the decision and, for the moment, Mr. Lamarre will not commentsaid by email on Tuesday his lawyer, Bernard Amyot.

Several breaches

During his trial, Riadh Ben Aïssa had alleged that the senior leaders of SNC-Lavalin had knowingly approved bribes and sumptuous gifts to family members of the former Libyan dictator, Muammar Gaddafi, in exchange for lucrative construction contracts. It was notably a question of a yacht of US 25 million dollars.

Was the big boss aware of these favors? Jacques Lamarre has always denied it.

The disciplinary council of his professional order has just searched this question in many documents and testimonies. In the end, he concluded that he half believed Mr. Lamarre in his explanations, he was in memory variable geometry When he was to defend himself.

For several charges, the main interested party stressed that he had kept any memory or document.

The disciplinary council accuses him of having paid money to win lucrative contracts in Libya under the Gaddafi regime. He accuses the ex-boss of having closed eyes On a series of red flagsincluding an unusual increase in payments to a screen company, so as not to compromise an important contract.

A visit to two million

Jacques Lamarre also accepted that SNC-Lavalin covers the costs of a visit to Canada’s son of the Libyan dictator, Saadi Gaddafi, in 2008. Hotels, restaurants, limousines, security services and even escorts: the bill had brushed the $ 2 million.

Even if he was not happy to have it on the armsthe old CEO still granted this visit to help In Libya, ruled the council. He thus violated the code of ethics of his profession.

During his visit, Saadi Gaddafi took the opportunity to buy a luxurious condo in Toronto. He was then renovated at a cost of $ 200,000, an invoice paid by SNC-Lavalin.

However, the evidence collected did not make it possible to conclude that Mr. Lamarre authorized these expenses, according to the disciplinary council. The latter nevertheless stressed that he was judging unmistible The ex-boss version that he was not made of know after the fact.

As for the famous yacht offered to the son Gaddafi, there too the proof was deemed insufficient. According to Jacques Lamarre, this purchase was not brought to his attention. At the time, this expense was authorized by the former Chief of SNC-Lavalin financial affairs, Gilles Laramée.

Collusion and nominees

The disciplinary council also retained that Mr. Lamarre had enabled the payment of $ 200,000 in 2005-by brown envelope and false invoice-to the Union Montreal party of former mayor Gérald Tremblay, in order to obtain contracts from the city. The training was then in the middle of the campaign for his re -election.

The court also blamed the former boss to have tolerated a system of nominees allowing the reimbursement of political contributions of employees. He also neglected to implement surveillance measures, and put an end to dishonest or doubtful processes Regarding tenders.

During the process, Mr. Lamarre attempted to obtain a stop of the procedures, asserting his advanced age (82 years old), the fact that he does not work anymore, and that this process should have taken place long before, the alleged facts dating back to more than 16 years.

Not only have his memories faded, but he could also telescoper with information reported by the media, he said. However, the Council rejected the request.

The disciplinary council of the Order of Engineers of Quebec is an independent and independent almost judicial court of the order whose mission is to protect the publiccan be read on your website. A next hearing must determine the sanction against Jacques Lamarre. The date has not yet been set.