Repeated embezzlement, forged checks, personal expenses ranging from an in-ground pool liner to decorator fees; a former Tourisme Montérégie executive squeezed nearly half a million dollars out of their organization in front of their peers for nearly a decade.
Our Bureau of Investigation has determined that as of Spring 2021, an internal crisis has rocked this organization, largely subsidized with public funds.
Sylvie Lemieux, who held the position of director of corporate affairs at Tourisme Montérégie, had to reimburse hundreds of thousands of dollars after a confidential agreement with her ex-employer last summer.
Longueuil police are now conducting a criminal investigation into this case.
Tourisme Montérégie (TM) alleged in a court case that Sylvie Lemieux had defrauded her of $450,000 through a variety of schemes including bank transfers, cash withdrawals from TM’s credit card, payments to false suppliers and overpayments.
Ms Lemieux even used TM funds to pay bills for her spouse’s business.
The sums stolen could be even higher. A security firm hired by TM allegedly failed to “trace all questionable transactions,” according to a request for a warrant filed by the organization in February 2022.
Accidentally dug up
Sylvie Lemieux worked at TM from 1991 to 2021. The flights began in 2013 without her employer ever suspecting it.
According to our information, even the accounting firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, which is responsible for the annual audit of the accounts, would never have discovered the embezzlement.
The former employee has had access to TM’s bank account and credit cards since 2002 as she handled payroll and bookkeeping for the organization. She was considered trustworthy and given a great deal of autonomy in managing TM’s finances.
It was only after his position was abolished for administrative reasons in March 2021 that the rose pot was discovered when accounting irregularities were discovered.
never doubted anything
Reached by phone, general manager Mario Leblanc said he had begun implementing additional financial control measures as soon as he took office in the fall of 2020, but that at the time he “didn’t have any suspicions that there had been fraud”.
He refused to blame his organization or inadequate oversight, even though the embezzlement allegedly spanned several years. “There was an awareness from the organization that things needed to be improved,” he said.
“To avoid this type of fraud, more than one person must be involved in all processes. I think that was missing before,” admitted Mr. Leblanc.
From now on, at Tourisme Montérégie, there must be two signatories for each transaction and the person entering amounts into the computer system cannot be the same person authorizing the payments.
Asked for comment, the Ministry of Tourism indicated that it was in “constant communication” to “follow the evolution of the steps taken by Tourisme Montérégie” to improve its accounting.
Sylvie Lemieux refused us an interview. TM said it was certain to recover any embezzled funds until the end of its confidential agreement with the latter.
– With Nicolas Brasseur and Marie Christine Trottier
TOURISM MONTÉRÉGIE IN BRIEF
Photo Martin Chevalier
The offices of Tourisme Montérégie, near the DIX30 district, in Brossard.
- One of 22 Quebec Regional Tourism Associations recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Tourism.
- Funded by the governments of Quebec ($928,448 in 2021) and Canada ($493,255). Also in 2022, Quebec announced $2.4 million in special aid through 2025.
- The organization benefits from the contributions of its 446 members, such as hotels or museums, and from the lodging tax ($2,882,567).
- Two elected officers currently sit on the board: the mayor of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (Miguel Lemieux) and the mayor of Brossard (Doreen Assaad).
THE ORGANIZATION’S CLAIMS
“[Sylvie] Lemieux tries to shirk her responsibilities when confronted with an unforeseen and threatening event: she has a way of doing things, a modus operandi, based on lies and dissimulation.
“[Denis] Vincelette [le conjoint de Sylvie Lemieux] The origin of these funds cannot go unnoticed, as certain funds were even used by Tourisme Montérégie to design the logo [son] company and the lettering of the Cube Truck.”
Money for her, for her spouse… and even a pool liner
According to Tourisme Montérégie, his former employee Sylvie Lemieux stole large sums of money through various schemes over several years. Here are the details as claimed by the organization in its lawsuit.
falsification of working hours
- Sylvie Lemieux would have paid $96,809.15 in case of overpayment.
- According to our information, the employee added hours that she never worked.
Illegal bank transfers
- Tourisme Montérégie identified $182,203.51 for bank transfers from her account to Ms. Lemieux’s personal credit card.
- A lot of $35,760.30 was also diverted to the joint account that Sylvie Lemieux maintains with Denis Vincelette.
False declarations to the insurance company
- Lemieux would have also taken insurable care from the insurer Croix Bleue Médavie after leaving Tourisme Montérégie, which would normally have had to cancel his insurance.
Payments for the spouse’s company
- The investigation also found that Sylvie Lemieux used the Tourisme Montérégie account on behalf of her spouse Denis Vincelette’s company, either to pay suppliers to Plomberie Denis Vincelette ($19,537.87)refund the company’s credit card ($2330.76)or transfer money directly to the company’s account ($9223.63).
Also refunded after departure
- Transactions were noted following Sylvie Lemieux’s termination of employment, such as the reimbursement of a donation to the Corporation of Master Pipe Mechanics of Quebec for the benefit of her spouse Denis Vincelette’s company.
Swimming pool, tires and veterinarian
- There would be for $72,959.02 Unjustified expenses at various providers of the Tourisme Montérégie credit card, in particular Les Produits Neptune, Discount Tires, Piscine Chambly, Dentist François Pelletier, H Vétérinaire Montérégie, etc.
- Specifically, Ms. Lemieux used her company credit card to pay for an in-ground swimming pool liner. A lot of $6934.16 was also debited from TM’s account for an invoice from Tendance Décor Chantal Couture.
cash withdrawals
- 98 bank withdrawals totaling $31,984, were made from the organization’s credit card. According to TM, Sylvie Lemieux also concocted a bogus board resolution giving her full powers over the organization’s credit cards.
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