Six Guilty Pleas for Fixing Gas Prices in Victoriaville

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 13, 2012) - Following an investigation by the Competition Bureau, five individuals and one company pleaded guilty to criminal charges for conspiring to fix the price of gasoline at the pump in Victoriaville, Quebec.

Société Coopérative Agricole des Bois-Francs (owner of the Sonic banner station in Victoriaville) has pleaded guilty and was fined $124,000. The following individuals have also pleaded guilty and were sentenced to personally pay these respective fines:

• Marc-Yvan Létourneau, former owner of a station operated under the Sonerco banner, was fined $10,000;
  
  
• Tomas Fréchette, former manager of a station operated under the Petro-T banner, was fined $5,000;
  
  
• Martin Fréchette, manager of a station operated under the Sonic banner, was fined $5,000;
  
  
• Ghislain Lallier, former owner of station operated under the Esso banner, was fined $5,000; and
  
  
• Normand Roy, former owner of station operated under the Shell banner, was fined $5,000.
  
  

Charges were laid in June 2008 and July 2010 against 38 individuals and 14 companies for fixing the price of gas at pumps in Victoriaville, Thetford Mines, Magog and Sherbrooke, Quebec. As of today, 27 individuals and seven companies have pleaded guilty in this case, with fines totalling over $3 million. Of the 27 individuals who have pleaded guilty, six have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment totalling 54 months.

Additional information on past convictions and fines related to this cartel can be found on the Bureau's website.

The Competition Bureau, as an independent law enforcement agency, ensures that Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace.

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