Guilty verdict in $24M Atlas Copco fraud trial

A jury has found that Paul Caron and Dirk Plate did help to defraud Atlas Copco of $24 million.

The verdict was read in a Sudbury courtroom Wednesday afternoon, two days after the 12 jurors began deliberating on the 40 some days of evidence they have heard during the trial.

Caron was a Montreal insurance broker who managed Atlas Copco's employee benefits and Dirk Plate was a long-time employee for the company, who was general manager at the company's Sudbury office between 2001 and 2007 when the fraud scheme was in place.

The two men will remain out of custody until the sentencing hearing on Oct. 25.

There have now been four men who are known to haveperpetratedand profitedfrom this overbilling scheme.

Leo Caron was a Montreal-based human resources manager for Atlas Copco who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.

David Hillier was the financial controller in the Sudbury office, but returned the $400,000 he says he stole and agree to testify in exchange for immunity against charges.