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Canadian businessman sentenced to 15 years in a Cuban prison

In this Friday Nov. 18, 2011 photo, a classic car drives in front of the headquarters of the firm Coral Capital Group in Havana. The government has given no information on probes of the investment firm Coral Capital Group, led by a Briton, Tri-Star Caribbean and Tokmakjian Group, two car dealerships run by Canadians. AP Photo/Franklin Reyes

HAVANA – A Canadian company says its president has been sentenced in Cuba to 15 years in prison on corruption-related charges that Cuban officials call part of a widespread campaign against graft.

The Ontario-based automotive company Tokmakjian Group says its lawyers were notified Friday that Cy Tokmakjian was convicted and sentenced on a variety of charges. Company vice-president Lee Hacker tells The Associated Press that firm managers Claudio Vetere and Marco Puche got shorter sentences.

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Cuban officials have provided few details about the case. But dozens of Cuban executives and government officials and a series of foreigners have been swept up in what is described as an attack on a culture of payoffs by foreigners.

The arrests sent a chill through international business people investing in Cuba.

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