Article content
The Commissaire à la lutte contre la corruption (CLCC), a branch of Quebec’s permanent anti-corruption unit, announced Friday that criminal charges had been authorized against three people in connection with an alleged fraud committed against the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.
Alan Simoneau, former principal of Laval Junior Academy high school, faces a charge of breach of trust, one count of fraud of more than $5,000 and a charge of possession or trafficking of a forged document. The last two charges were also authorized against Simoneau’s alleged accomplices, Rajesh Awasthi, described by the CLCC as a school-board employee, as well as business-owner Barbara Tomasini, who is described by the CLCC as being in a relationship with Awasthi.
The CLCC alleges that its investigation found that between March 8, 2016, and May 16, 2019, Simoneau, assisted by his alleged accomplices, used a shell company owned by Tomasini to create a false billing system that charged the school board, Simoneau’s employer at the time, for services that were never provided. It alleges further that false documents were used to justify the payments to Edu-Vation, a company owned by Tomasini.
Recommended from Editorial
Share this article in your social network