Nathalie Normandeau fundraiser was subject of UPAC search

The searches conducted last July at the Quebec Liberal partys headquarters bythe provinces anti-corruption squad, UPAC, came over a year late, according to police documents obtained by CBC/Radio-Canada.

The documents had beenunder publication ban until a heavily redacted version was released today.

They show that the searches conducted in July 2013 were initially scheduled to take place in June 2012, when the Liberals were in power. At the time,they were cancelled for operational reasons.

According to the documents, UPAC investigators were looking forevidence of fraud, the production of false documents and illegal financing, with a particular interest in the financing activities of former deputy premier Nathalie Normandeau.

Five people who attended the event in questionan Oct. 9, 2008 fundraiser for Normandeau at a Quebec City restaurantwere fined last month by Quebecs Chief Electoral Officer for participating in a straw man, or prte-nom, schemein which they donated money that wasn't their own to the Liberal party.