Loto-Québec exec switches jobs amid corruption allegations
Zambito says he gave Bibeau $30K for a Quebec Liberal Party fundraiser
A former Liberal organizer has temporarily stepped away from his duties at Loto-Québec after allegations of illegal fundraising surfaced at the Charbonneau commission.
Pierre Bibeau, Loto-Québec's vice-president of communications and public affairs, has been temporarily reassigned to a different role, according to a news release sent out by the company Wednesday.
He will instead work on co-ordinating the company's internal communication strategy.
Lino Zambito, the one-time construction boss and a key witness at the corruption inquiry, alleged he gave Bibeau $30,000 for a Quebec Liberal Party fundraiser he was organizing in 2009.
The release states that Bibeau's executive position directly affected Loto-Québec's public image, and that the agency and Bibeau agreed to his reassignment.
The current vice-president of corporate affairs, Marcel Croux, will be taking on Bibeau's tasks in the meantime.
Loto-Québec also emphasized that Bibeau is presumed innocent until further investigation sheds more light on the allegations made at the commission.
Earlier this week, Bibeau released a statement denouncing the allegations, saying he believes the commission will determine what is true and false in Zambito's testimony.