Ex-MUHC director charged and released on conditions

Yana Elbaz was formally charged in court today before beingreleased on conditions and $100,000 bail.

The McGill University Health Centres (MUHC) former director of redevelopment, planning and real estate management was arrested yesterday on charges of fraud, fraud against the government, breach of trust, laundering the proceeds of a crime and using false or forged documents.

His release hinges on conditions that include not communicating with employees of the engineering firm SNC-Lavalin or the MUHC.

"He has also conditions of not leaving Canada, of handing over all his passports and travel documents and not requesting any others," said Crown prosecutor Marie-Hlne Giroux.

He must also report in person to the Sret du Qubec every week, except duringPassover, when he can report to the SQ on thephone.

Former colleague of Elbaz and SNC-Lavalin ex-CEO Pierre Duhaime was also expectedto be arraigned on charges today, but did not appear in court.

Duhaime is already facing fraud charges which were laid against him earlier this month.

Quebecs anti-corruption task force, UPAC, issued warrants yesterday for the arrests of five men including Elbaz and Duhaime.

The other men named are former MUHC head Arthur Porter, former SNC-Lavalin employee Riadh Ben Assa and the relatively unknown Jeremy Morris.

Theyre accused of participating in a scheme to defraud the provincial government.

The charges stem from the $1.3-billion contract for the construction of the MUHCs new Glen campus.

Elbaz is expected in court in May.