A financial advisor in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, has been found guilty of devising schemes to help other taxpayers avoid paying part of their federal taxes.

Pierre Gaudreau’s tax schemes included using false bills and false losses based on fictitious financial statements and contracts. According to the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, individuals and companies particpated in the schemes. Most have already been reassessed with penalties.

For this type of offence, the CCRA could have recommended a maximum fine of 200% of the defrauded tax, along with a maximum prison sentence of five years. However, since Gaudreau pleaded guilty to avoid a trial, Judge Jean-Georges Laliberte of the Quebec Court fined him $500,000, which represents of 100% of the defrauded tax.