FREDERIC SERRE
The 1019 Report
What began with a raid on an Île Perrot construction company in early 2025 by the province’s anti-corruption unit ended last week with the company’s owner pleading guilty to ripping off the Town of Rigaud by signing a false affidavit in connection with a contract to conduct roadwork.
Following his guilty plea, Alain Gauthier, 65, who lives in Magog, but heads L3B Construction, was given one year probation last Friday when he appeared before a Quebec Court judge. Although Gauthier was charged with fraud, swindling and production and use of false documents, he pleaded guilty to one accusation – production and use of false documents, according to Unité permanente anticorruption (UPAC) spokesperson, Mathieu Galarneau.
Evidence presented by UPAC said that on June 13, 2023, the Town of Rigaud issued a call for bids to carry out infrastructure repairs on Ste. Madeleine and Gérard Chicoine streets. Gauthier’s company was awarded the contract, valued at more than $2 million.
This contract included progress payment clauses and required Gauthier to submit a sworn affidavit with each payment to certify that the work had been completed and that all subcontractors had been paid.
On Oct. 23, 2023, Gauthier received a progress payment of $478,395 after submitting an affidavit for a portion of the work. However, following audits conducted by the municipality, the affidavit was found to be false, as four of the subcontractors had not been paid. In addition, Gauthier allegedly had signed the affidavit in his capacity as both declarant and certifying officer. He was charged by UPAC in February 2025.
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