Jean Lafleur to stay behind bars on fraud charges

Former ad executiveJean Lafleur, who faces35 fraud charges related to the federal sponsorship scandal, will remain behind barsuntil at least next Thursday.

Lafleur's bail hearing was postponedFriday morning.His next court appearance is scheduled nextweek.

Lafleur's lawyer, Jean-Claude Hébert,told the court hisclient has pleaded not guilty to five of the 35 charges and that he hasn't entered a plea for the other 30 accusations.

Crown prosecutor Mario Longpré objected to Lafleur's release on bail, claiming he has no strong ties to Montreal and could flee.

The 66-year-old former president of Lafleur Marketing and Communications surrendered to police at Trudeau international airport early Thursday morning after returning voluntarily from Belize.

Lafleur has spent most of the last two years living in the Central American country andCosta Rica.

A Canada-widewarrant was issued for his arrest last week.

Lafleur is accused of defrauding the government of almost $1.6 millionthrough contracts his advertising firm secured through the sponsorship program that was designed to increase the federal government'sprofile in Quebec.

His advertising firmwas paid$65 millionthrough the federal sponsorship programbetween 1995 to 2003.Lafleur isaccused of overbilling for work that was never done.

Lafleur was scorned by the public during theGomery inquiry into the federal sponsorship program, when he claimed he had a bad memory andcouldn't remember basic details about his relationships and dealings with several prominent Liberal party members.

He'sthe fifth person to be charged in the sponsorship affair.