Witness explains corruption scheme at Charbonneau Commission

The latest person to testify at the Charbonneau Commission Wednesday was the former vice president of Genviar François Perreault.

The Montreal Gazette reports Perreault explained exactly how money flowed from Quebec’s largest engineering firm to Union Montreal.

Perreault estimates Genviar passed over $300 000 to Union Montreal between 2004 and 2008.

The firm used registered companies in Quebec who never did any work to transfer the money discreetly.

These companies filed false invoices to Genviar for work and Genviar provided a cheque as payment.

Once the companies cashed the cheque the money would return back to Genviar creating an untraceable trail of money.

Genviar also gave presents to municipal officials during Christmastime.

Perreault testified that contracts would pass to other firms if they did not cooperate with Union Montreal’s fundraiser Berard Trépanier.

Perreault called corruption in Quebec both entrenched and exaggerated.

Testimony continues on Friday.

STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU