No verdict Friday at Jacques Corriveau fraud trial in Montreal

MONTREAL — Jurors have failed to reach a verdict on their first full day of deliberations at Jacques Corriveau’s fraud trial.

The judge who headed the commission into the federal sponsorship scandal described Corriveau in his report about 10 years ago as the central figure in an elaborate kickback scheme that enabled him to pocket millions.

The former federal Liberal organizer stood trial on charges of fraud against the government, forgery and laundering proceeds of crime.

Jury deliberations will resume Saturday.

Quebec Superior Court Justice Jean-Francois Buffoni told the jury of eight men and four women Thursday they must decide whether Corriveau knowingly used his influence to secure himself $6.5 million in kickbacks between 1997 and 2003.

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The Crown alleged Corriveau set up a kickback system on government contracts awarded during the sponsorship program and used his Pluri Design Canada Inc. firm to defraud Ottawa.

The Canadian Press