Businessman Elio Pagliarulo, seen in an image taken from the closed circuit televison, testifies at the Charbonneau inquiry looking into corruption in the Quebec construction industry Monday, October 29, 2012 in Montreal.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
October 29, 2012 - 11:34 AM
MONTREAL - The City of Montreal's second most-powerful politician, after the mayor, was corrupt.
That bombshell allegation has been made today at the Quebec corruption inquiry.
A witness from the construction industry says Frank Zampino, who was once the No. 2 at city hall and the right-hand man to Mayor Gerald Tremblay, was on the take.
Zampino, the former head of the city's executive committee, has left politics. He was arrested earlier this year and now faces fraud charges.
The testimony against him was delivered today by Elio Pagliarulo — a former construction-industry insider.
Pagliarulo is testifying about the corruption, Mafia ties and bid-rigging he witnessed during his days working with the Catania construction empire.
He says he had a spectacular falling out with his old friends several years ago. When he owed them money, he says, he was kidnapped and beaten up and heavy damage was done to his face.
Pagliarulo says funeral flowers were also sent to his family home, as a message: pay, or else.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012