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Ex Quebec construction mogul Tony Accurso gets four year prison term

Construction magnate Tony Accurso is seen on an image taken off a television monitor at the Charbonneau inquiry looking into corruption in the Quebec construction industry Friday, September 5, 2014 in Montreal.
Construction magnate Tony Accurso is seen on an image taken off a television monitor at the Charbonneau inquiry looking into corruption in the Quebec construction industry Friday, September 5, 2014 in Montreal. Paul Chiasson / The Canadian Press

Former Quebec construction mogul Tony Accurso has received a four-year prison term following his conviction on fraud and corruption charges.

A judge handed down the sentence this morning in Laval, just north of Montreal.

A jury recently found Accurso guilty on all five charges he was facing stemming from a municipal corruption scheme in Laval.

The Crown was seeking a five-year prison term, while Accurso’s lawyer argued his client should serve a suspended sentence in the community.

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Accurso was found guilty of conspiracy to commit corruption in municipal affairs; conspiracy to commit fraud; fraud of more than $5,000; corruption of municipal officials; and breach of trust.

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The scheme was orchestrated by former Laval mayor Gilles Vaillancourt and the charges involved a kickback scheme between 1996 and 2010 in which companies paid off city officials in exchange for public contracts.

Vaillancourt pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges and was sentenced to six years in prison.

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