Gilles Vaillancourt, who served as mayor of Laval for more than two decades, has been handed a six-year prison sentence — but it's highly unlikely he'll serve anywhere near that long.
Both the Crown and the defence were recommending he spend six years behind bars, and to repay $8.5 million in money he skimmed from taxpayers and companies during his tenure as mayor.
The 76-year-old Vaillancourt pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, breach of trust and conspiracy, while he had the more serious gangsterism charge dropped.
Because his crime was a non-violent one, Vaillancourt could be released in a year with good behavior.
The full details of his crimes are being kept under a publication ban, as three dozen more people are still awaiting trial on similar charges.