The lifting of a publication ban has shed more light into the police investigation that led to the arrest of former Montreal mayor Michael Applebaum for accepting bribes connected to real estate deal during his time as mayor of Cote-des-Neiges-NDG.
In an affidavit, parts of which police used to obtain a warrant for Applebaum’s arrest in 2013, Hugo Tremblay, who served a chief of staff and political advisor to Applebaum, admitted to being a co-conspirator who arranged, negotiated and collected bribes from real estate developers.
Tremblay said he used secret codes to communicate the timing of drop-offs and that the cash bribes were concealed and delivered in plastic bags and DVD box sets. The amounts came in installments as each phase of a zoning change was passed by the borough council.
Applebaum’s attorney Pierre Teasdale said the allegations are untrue and vowed to prove Tremblay is not a credible witness.
Applebaum faces 14 charges of fraud, breach of trust and conspiracy and his trial is set to begin in September, 2017.
