8 SNC-Lavalin execs tied to division hiding 'illegitimate' payments

A joint investigation by CBC News and the Globe and Mail has discovered that an international division of Canadian engineering giant SNC-Lavalin used a secret internal accounting code that former employees say was used for bribery.

SNC-Lavalin International (SLII) accounting documents from 13 projects in Africa and Asia use the codes PCC and CC – acronyms that former employees say stand for project consultancy costs and consultancy costs.

In September, 2011, the RCMP raided the regional SNC-Lavalin International Inc., office in Oakville, Ont. That sparked an internal audit by the company that unearthed the secret system of "PCC" payments used to pay consultants and public officials. An SNC spokesperson said the PCC payments were "illegitimate."

The regional office in Oakville is part of a much larger international division, set up by the Montreal-based company.

Below are profiles of the some of the former employees of the Oakville office, including two low-level workers who face charges tied to allegations of bribery in Bangladesh.

Several of their bosses who have not been charged are no longer with SNC-Lavalin. Some senior executives say they had no knowledge of the PCC payments.