Former ad executive Jean Lafleur, who faces 35 fraud charges related to the federal sponsorship scandal, will remain behind bars until at least next Thursday. 

Lafleur's bail hearing was postponed Friday morning. His next court appearance is scheduled next week.

Jean Lafleur's lawyer, Jean-Claude Hébert, left, and Crown prosecutor Mario Longpré are shown at the Montreal courthouse Friday.
(Ian Barrett/Canadian Press)

Lafleur's lawyer, Jean-Claude Hébert, told the court his client has pleaded not guilty to five of the 35 charges and that he hasn't entered a plea for the other 30 accusations. 

Crown prosecutor Mario Longpré objected to Lafleur's release on bail, claiming he has no strong ties to Montreal and could flee.

The 66-year-old former president of Lafleur Marketing and Communications surrendered to police at Trudeau international airport early Thursday morning after returning voluntarily from Belize.

Jean Lafleur was living in Belize on the island of Ambergris Caye in a home seen here on the left with a golf cart in front.
(David Taylor/CBC)

Lafleur has spent most of the last two years living in the Central American country and Costa Rica.

A Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest last week.

Lafleur is accused of defrauding the government of almost $1.6 million through contracts his advertising firm secured through the sponsorship program that was designed to increase the federal government's profile in Quebec.

His advertising firm was paid $65 million through the federal sponsorship program between 1995 to 2003. Lafleur is accused of overbilling for work that was never done. 

Lafleur was scorned by the public during the Gomery inquiry into the federal sponsorship program, when he claimed he had a bad memory and couldn't remember basic details about his relationships and dealings with several prominent Liberal party members.

He's the fifth person to be charged in the sponsorship affair.