London mayor, former federal minister, charged with fraud

London Free Press colleague Chip Martin had a front-page scoop in mid-October:

Government cheque paid for ex-MP Joe Fontana’s son’s wedding reception

LONDON, ONT. – Federal tax dollars paid the $1,700 deposit on the 2005 wedding reception for Mayor Joe Fontana’s son, QMI Agency has learned.

And the then-manager of the London facility recalls another cheque issued by the feds appeared several months later to cover the outstanding $18,900 Fontana still owed. … [Read the rest of Chip’s story]

Today, the RCMP made the following announcement:

Mr. Joseph Fontana Charged

LONDON, ON, Nov. 21, 2012 – The London Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has filed criminal charges against Mr. Joseph Fontana, the Mayor of the City of London, Ontario.

In October, 2012, the RCMP was contacted by the House of Commons in regards to an alleged inappropriate use of funds by Mr. Fontana while he was serving as a Member of Parliament in 2005.

As the result of the investigation, Mr. Joseph Fontana has been charged with the following Criminal Code (CC) offences:

  • Breach of Trust by Public Officer, contrary to section 122 CC
  • Fraud Under $5000 contrary to section 380 (1)(b) CC
  • Uttering Forged Documents contrary to section 368 CC

Mr. Fontana is scheduled to appear at the London Provincial Court House on January 08, 2013.

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