Three suspects arrested in connection with alleged real-estate fraud

Article content

The Sûreté du Québec on Wednesday announced it has arrested three men in connection with a fraud allegedly committed in the real estate sector.

Mickael Voyer, 40, Benoit Charron, 41, and former notary Pierre Aubin, 67, are expected to appear in court in Laval on Wednesday.

Article content

The men were arrested in Longueuil, Ste-Julienne and Boisbriand on Dec. 13 by the financial-crimes division of the SQ.

In a statement, the provincial police force alleged the “scheme consisted of defrauding lenders and investors in connection with various real estate ‘projects’ to be developed.”

The SQ alleges that between April 2014 and January 2017, the suspects “illegally appropriated the funds, estimated at several million, that were supposed to be used for real estate development.”

At the time of the arrests, the Florida residence of one of the suspects was subject to a blocking order in collaboration with the United States Secret Service. The SQ said the home is worth $4.8 million.

The investigation into the alleged fraud was begun by Quebec’s Autorité des marchés financiers before being transferred to the SQ. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada also played a role in the investigation.

Share this article in your social network