A Beaconsfield lawyer was in court Friday to face loansharking charges.
Emmanuel Cardinal, 33, appeared at the Laval courthouse after being arrested the day before and spending the night in jail.
He faces charges of fraud over $5,000 and making a loan at a criminal interest rate.
Police said their investigation into Cardinal began in October. In 2015, a Laval couple took out a loan of approximately $100,000 from Les Investissements E. Cardinal, a company belonging to the accused. The couple managed to pay it back within a year, but Cardinal insisted on charging an interest rate above the maximum legal limit of 60 per cent per year.
The couple refused and eventually contacted Laval police.
After a brief court appearance Friday, Cardinal was released on $20,000 bail. As one of his court restrictions, he is not allowed to contact his alleged victims and several other people associated with his business
Other victims may have also taken out loans from the company, according to police. Anyone who believes he or she may have been a victim or who has information is asked to contact the Laval police department.
