Quebec’s anti-corruption unit (UPAC) has arrested seven men – including three bureaucrats – on allegations they were colluding with two computer companies to obtain government IT contracts worth nearly $24 million.
The seven arrests were made Wednesday morning in Quebec City and Montreal, and police are still seeking an eighth man.
Two Revenue Quebec employees, Hamid Latmanene and Jamal El Khaiat, are accused of giving out privileged information related to government contracts at the provincial agency.
UPAC alleges that the plot involved employees at two companies – IBM and EBR Computers Inc. – forming a “bidder consortium” to obtain the contracts, which were to supply Revenue Canada with a data-management platform valued at nearly $24 million.
In a statement, UPAC Director Robert Lafreniere said IT contracts are an area of “great interest” to his agency, as they can be very valuable.
Also accused are Mohamed El Khayat and Jean-Francois Robidas of EBR, and Gilles Gariepy, Patrick Fortin, and Daniel Letourneau of IBM.
Abdelaziz Younsi, a former IT director with Quebec’s Ministry of Public Safety, is charged as well.
Each of the men face charges of abuse of confidence, conspiracy, fraud over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Officials said Revenue Canada cooperated fully with the investigation, which is still ongoing.
