The long-running Atlas Copco fraud trial at the Sudbury Courthouse is in the home stretch. With the only defence witness – Dirk Plate – having finished his cross-examination and re-examination on Friday, the 14-person jury is off Monday and Tuesday, while the Crown and defence prepare their final submissions. Those submissions are expected to begin Thursday and go through to Friday. Early next week, Superior Court Justice John Poupore is expected to charge the jury.
Plate, 72, along with Paul Caron, 68 – who are not in custody – are facing one count each of fraud over $5,000. The trial, which began back on April 20 and has gone 38 days so far, is the largest fraud case in the city’s history. The Crown alleges they defrauded nearly $24 million from Atlas Copco Canada’s CMT division from January 31, 2001, to December 31, 2007, in Greater Sudbury, across Ontario, and Quebec.
By Harold Carmichael
Read the full article at The Sudbury Star.
