Anti-corruption police nab Montreal hospital contract fraud suspect at airport

MONTREAL – Anti-corruption police say they’ve arrested a man sought in the $22.5 million fraud stemming from the awarding of Montreal’s superhospital contract.

St-Clair Martin Armitage had been sought by the anti-corruption unit since May 8 in connection with the awarding of the contract to build the $1.3 billion McGill University Health Centre.

The lucrative contract, finalized in 2010, is the subject of an alleged fraud involving former hospital officials and former executives with Quebec engineering giant SNC-Lavalin.

Ex-SNC-Lavalin executives are accused of funnelling money to former McGill hospital officials Arthur Porter and Yanai Elbaz in exchange for the contract.

Armitage was arrested today in Montreal after arriving on a plane from England and police say he’ll appear in court on Wednesday — the sixth person to appear in connection with the case.

Authorities are still working to return two others to Canada: controversial former hospital boss Arthur Porter and former SNC-Lavalin executive Riadh Ben Aissa.