Former Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum has been found guilty of corruption charges.
He's been found guilty of eight of the 14 charges against him including corruption in municipal affairs as well as conspiracy, breach of trust and fraud against the government. He was acquitted of two charges and four were stayed. Applebaum displayed no reaction to the judge's ruling.
Applebaum's crimes date back to when he was the borough mayor of Côte-des-Neiges-NDG. Five Crown witnesses testified that he was pulling the strings in a scheme to demand kickbacks from businesspeople in connection with two real estate projects in the borough between 2006 and 2012 — a condo project and a maintenance contract for the borough's new sports centre.
There was a break in the proceedings at the Montreal courthouse Thursday afternoon, when Applebaum began to feel faint about an hour and 20 minutes into the reading of the ruling— after the judge was describing the credibility of key Crown witness and former Applebaum political aide Hugo Tremblay.
The judge then noted Applebaum's own mistrustful behaviour during a meeting in his basement with Tremblay who was wearing a police wire: whispering; patting down Tremblay's shoulders; and making a damning statement caught on tape: "In order to charge you, they have to have the money."
At that point, Applebaum started to collapse, slumping over the desk in front of him at the witness stand. Applebaum was put into a chair and given water. The judge called a break and the hearing resumed 15 minutes later.
Quebec Court Judge Louise Provost said she was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt Tremblay was telling the truth, citing his consistent testimony regarding multiple details about the cash transactions, his precise, nuanced answers and the way he didn't contradict himself in court. Provost said Tremblay testified without cracking and was visibly sincere, his credibility unshaken. The judge also said that while there were discrepancies in the testimony of the witnesses, they were minor.
Applebaum did not testify and has maintained his innocence.
Crown prosecutor Nathalie Kléber said they were satisfied with the ruling.
Applebaum's lawyer Pierre Teasdale said they were surprised by the judge's decision which they'll analyze before deciding whether to appeal.
Sentencing arguments are set for mid-February. Applebaum could face a maximum of five years in prison.