Charges dropped against Calgary man accused of conspiring to bribe Thai officials in jet deal

A Calgary man who was accused of conspiring to bribe officials in the Thai military no longer faces charges.

The international corruption case made headlines last November when Canadian General Aircraft president Larry Kushniruk, 69, was charged with conspiracy to bribe foreign public officials.

"He's relieved to have it behind him, he is happy to have his name back," said Kushniruk's lawyer, Gavin Wolch, after receiving a letter from federal prosecutor Kent Brown directing a stay of proceedings. 

"He was innocent."

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At the time the charge was laid, RCMP alleged Kushniruk conspired to bribe officials in the Thai military to secure the sale of a commercial passenger jet from Thai Airways, the country's national airline.

It is alleged Kushnirik brokered the proposed sale through his company, which deals in commercial airline sales and parts.

Investigators were tipped off in 2013, when the FBI flagged irregularities in the sale, prompting an investigation by the RCMP's federal serious and organized crime unit.

Gavin Wolch says his client is relieved the charge against him has been dropped. (Meghan Grant/CBC)

At the time, RCMP said the investigation did not reveal that Thai public officials were actually bribed or were involved in the conspiracy.

The charge fell under a section of the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act.

Wolch said the charge of conspiracy to bribe foreign public officials is rare and in his research he's found only four convictions.

CBC News reached out to Brown to ask why the charge was stayed but he did not immediately respond.