Montreal businessman arrested in alleged tax fraud scheme
Reza Tehrani, 55, allegedly bribed tax officials
Authorities arrested the owner of a Montreal technical school and his wife as part of a larger investigation into alleged corruption at the Canada Revenue Agency.
Reza Tehrani, 55, and his wife Liora Suissa, 49, were arrested by the RCMP’s anti-corruption unit on Thursday morning and charged in connection with an alleged $6-million tax fraud.
Tehrani, the owner of the Aviron Institute of Technology in Montreal’s Town of Mount Royal, faces 13 counts, including conspiracy, fraud, breach of trust by a public officer and bribery of public officers. Suissa faces five counts.
According to a news release from the RCMP, investigators said Tehrani bribed tax officials to reduce his tax burden by $6 million and is believed to have conspired to claim tax credits through a scientific research incentive program.
In 2010, he told authorities he had been abducted while leaving work at the Aviron Institute and beaten by men posing as police officers.
At the time, he filed a complaint with Montreal police, but investigators said he was uncooperative and did not file charges against him.
Court documents show Tehrani faced multiple lawsuits over the last decade.
Tehrani and his wife are set to appear in court in December to answer to Thursday’s charges.
The RCMP investigation into allegations of corruption of CRA officials -- also called "Projet COCHE" -- began in 2008.