Corruption investigation, arrest and trial
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Questions about possible corruption emerged soon after Appplebaum's inauguration. Applebaums real estate dealings during his time as bureau mayor came under scrutiny. His role in a 2003 Union Montreal fundraiser held at a restaurant with underworld links came to light. On February 19, 2913, Quebec's anti-corruption police unit (UPAC) raided 9 locations, including Montreal city hall and Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough offices. Two more raids on borough offices would follow. [1] Applebaum was arrested by Quebec's anti-corruption unit UPAC at his home on June 17, 2013. He initially faced 14 charges including fraud, conspiracy, breach of trust, and corruption in municipal affairs. The charges stemmed from acts which occurred during Applebaum's tenure as borough mayor and and related real estate projects between 2006 and 2011.[2] Charges were also simultaneously laid against former city councillor Saulie Zajdel and Jean Yves Bisson, a city bureaucrat.[3]
According to an arrest warrant, Applebaum engaged in two separate criminal conspiracies, the nature of which officials did not initially disclose. However, Radio-Canada reported that they involve the demolition of a residential building and the construction of condominiums, and link Applebaum to a Laval-based engineering firm central to the municipal corruption testimony being heard at the Charbonneau commission. In addition, Radio-Canada, citing police sources, said the police were investigating a $50,000 payment to Applebaum as well as a $15,000 payment made to Zajdel.[4]
On June 18, 2013 Applebaum announced his resignation of Mayor of Montreal, maintaining that the allegations against him were unfounded.[5] He hired Marcel Danis, a criminal lawyer and former federal Member of Parliament, as his defence attorney.[6]
In October 2013, charges against him were widened to encompass ten major real estate transactions between 2002 and 2012 in Côte-des-Neiges.[7] His preliminary hearing was scheduled for June 2015, immediately before Zajdel's trial.[8]
On January 26, 2017, Applebaum was found guilty of eight corruption-related charges.[9]
References
edit- ^ Slayton 2015, pp. 83-85.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
APArrestwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Ex-Tory adviser Saulie Zajdel arrested in corruption probe". CBC News, June 17, 2013.
- ^ Allan Woods, Julian Sher (June 17, 2013). "Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum charged with 14 offences". Toronto Star. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
TSResignationwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Former MP to represent Applebaum" Archived June 22, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. The Gazette, June 18, 2013.
- ^ "Ex-Montreal Mayor Michael Applebaum Faces Wider Corruption Probe". The Jewish Daily Forward, October 4, 2013.
- ^ "Applebaum’s preliminary hearing set for June 2015". The Gazette, March 10, 2014.
- ^ Jaela Bernstien (January 26, 2017). "Ex-Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum found guilty of 8 corruption-related charges". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
Sources
editBooks
edit- Slayton, Philip (2015). Mayors Gone Bad. Canada: Viking. ISBN 978-067006830-2. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
Court Documents
edit- Reine c. Michael Applebaum, SOQUIJ 2016 QCCQ 5809 (Court of Quebec 28 june 2016).
- Reine c. Michael Applebaum, SOQUIJ 2016 QCCQ 9202 (Court of Quebec 12 september 2016).
- Reine c. Michael Applebaum, CanLII 2017 QCCQ 160 (Court of Quebec 26 January 2017).
- Reine c. Michael Applebaum, SOQUIJ 2017 QCCQ 2522 (Court of Quebec 30 March 2017).
News
edit- Arnold, Janet (4 May 2011). "Applebaum now No. 2 at City Hall". Canadian Jewish news. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- Piritz, Ingrid (23 Nov 2012). "Michael Applebaum: Montreal's unconventional choice for mayor". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- Scott, Marian (28 Nov 2012). "Borough divided over record". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- Cousineau, Sophie; Ha, Tu Than; Giovannetti, Justin (June 17, 2013). "Behind the bribery allegations that have enveloped Montreal's mayor". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- Bruemmer, Rene (14 April 2015). "Michael Applebaum resurfaces as N.D.G. real estate agent". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- Bernstein, Jaela (13 Nov 2016). "Fall from grace: Michael Applebaum's ill-fated climb to power". CBC News Montreal. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- Lee, Shuyee (14 Nov 2016). "Applebaum Trial: Former chief of staff testifies". CJAD 800AM. Montreal. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- Bernstein, Jayla (26 Nov 2016). "In Depth: Who are key players in corruption trial of Montreal's former mayor?". CBC. CBC News. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- Gazette Staff (27 Jan 2017). "Timeline: The rise and fall of Michael Applebaum". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 9 November 2017.