Montreal

UPAC: Jewish General Hospital ex-contractor faces 65 tax fraud charges

Quebec’s anti-corruption investigative unit, UPAC, has charged contractor Gilbert Leizerovici and his firm R.A. Rénov-Action Inc. with 65 counts of tax fraud for work at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital.

Gilbert Leizerovici and his firm R.A. Rénov-Action Inc. accused of overbilling for work on JGH exterior

UPAC said the charges facing Gilbert Leizerovici and one of his companies, R.A. Rénov-Action Inc., are linked to construction work on the exterior of the Jewish General Hospital. (Radio-Canada archives)

Quebec's anti-corruption investigative unit, UPAC, charged contractor Gilbert Leizerovici and one of his companies, R.A. Rénov-Action Inc., with 65 counts of fiscal fraud Thursday.

Among the allegations, UPAC investigators contend Leizerovici and his firm overbilled on construction work to the exterior of Montreal's Jewish General Hospital.

UPAC said in a news release that Leizerovici faces a minimum of $310,000 in fines under the federal Excise Tax Act, which governs the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and Quebec's Tax Administration Act, which sets out the rules for the provincial sales tax.

If found guilty, Leizerovici could also face a jail sentence of up to two years less a day.

R.A. Rénov-Action Inc. faces the same charges and fines of at least $120,000, UPAC said.

The investigation was led by UPAC and Revenu Québec investigators.

In a statement, a spokeswoman from the hospital told CBC News that the Jewish General is fully co-operating with authorities.

"If R.A. Rénov-Action is found guilty, the hospital will take the necessary steps to try and recoup the lost funds."