The jury in the largest fraud trial in Sudbury, Ontario, went back to work Monday.
The jury had taken time off as the prosecution and defence prepared their final submissions, according to a report in the
Sudbury Star.
The Crown alleges that Dirk Plate and Paul Caron – who is representing himself – defrauded Atlas Copco Canada’s CMT division of nearly $24 million.
The fraud scheme allegedly involved inflating the costs of employee benefit claims. Prosecutors claim that Plate and Paul Caron, the insurance broker who handled employee benefit claims, conspired with Leo Caron, Atlas Copco Canada’s human resources manager at the time of the fraud, and David Hillier, the company’s CMT finance controller, to over-bill the company.
Last month, Leo Caron testified that the fraud began in 1996, according to the
Star. He said that in 2007, the real cost of employee benefits for Atlas Copco was $4.5 million, but Paul Caron invoiced the company for $9 million. Leo Caron was sentenced to five years, minus time served, in April.
Hillier allegedly joined the scheme in 2002. He testified that he was called in by Plate and Leo Caron to remedy a pension shortfall, according to the
Star. Hillier repaid Atlas Copco more than $408,000 in exchange for civil and criminal immunity.
Plate, for his part, has denied involvement in the scheme, the
Star reported.
Related Links:
Fundraising hostess accused of $20-million AIG fraud
Major Canadian insurer hacked
