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UPAC No. 2 quits over role in alleged share purchases

A police officer on the UPAC squad. Mario Beauregard / The Canadian Press

The second-in-command at Quebec’s anti-corruption unit is stepping down amid allegations he recommended the purchase of shares in a company when he was working for the provincial police force.

READ MORE: UPAC denies intimidation; says investigation will continue

The head of the unit issued a statement Thursday to say Marcel Forget is quitting in order to preserve the organization’s reputation.

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Le Journal de Montréal reported that five police officers or ex-officers bought shares in a firm called Newtech in 1999 and 2000 through an intermediary of Forget’s or based directly on his recommendation.

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The newspaper says Forget did not have a broker’s permit at the time. He was never charged.

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Newtech’s objective was to come up with what was considered a state-of-the-art braking system.

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In his role as Robert Lafrenière’s No. 2 at the anti-corruption unit, Forget was responsible for ensuring the integrity of companies wanting to be publicly listed.

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