London Mayor Joe Fontana walks from the London, Ont., courthouse after hearing the verdict in his fraud trial Friday, June 13, 2014. Fontana, who was convicted last week on three fraud-related charges from his time as a federal Liberal cabinet minister, is stepping down.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dave Chidley
June 16, 2014 - 11:16 AM
LONDON, Ont. - The mayor of London, Ont., who was convicted last week on three fraud-related charges from his time as a federal Liberal cabinet minister, is stepping down.
Joe Fontana's city hall office released a statement today saying he is resigning as the mayor of London.
Fontana says he is "taking this step out of respect for the office of the mayor, the people of London and our judicial system."
He will hold a press conference on Thursday.
Fontana was convicted Friday of fraud, forgery and breach of trust after a judge found he forged an expenses document submitted to the House of Commons in 2005 that resulted in a $1,700 government fraud.
Sentencing arguments are scheduled for July 15.
(AM980)
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014