The damning verdict marks a formal rebuke of systemic corruption under ex-CEO Jacques Lamarre’s watch.

Aajah Sauter | The Globe and Mail

Former SNC-Lavalin Group chief executive Jacques Lamarre has been found guilty of seven of 14 allegations of misconduct made against him by Quebec’s professional order for engineers.

In Brief by Probe International

The explosive charges against Mr. Lamarre stem from his tenure as SNC-Lavalin CEO during the chaotic final years of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, where prosecutors allege he greenlit a brazen cash-for-contracts scheme.

Central to the case: approximately $2 million in direct or indirect payments under Mr. Lamarre’s leadership flowed to the Gaddafi family, bankrolling lavish Canadian stays for the dictator’s son, Saadi, as the firm chased lucrative Libyan infrastructure deals.

Mr. Lamarre, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, refused to publicly address the verdict, leaving unanswered questions about SNC-Lavalin’s shadowy dealings during its global expansion era.

The verdict follows years of legal turmoil for SNC-Lavalin (since rebranded as AtkinsRéalis Group Inc.), which faced charges in 2015 for bribing Libyan officials and violating anti-corruption laws. After being denied a deferred prosecution agreement, the company settled in 2019 with a guilty plea to fraud, resulting in a $280 million fine and probation. Separately, in 2016, the firm admitted to illegal political donations in Canada and Quebec, reimbursing employees for partisan contributions—a violation of election laws—and entered a compliance agreement with authorities. These scandals underscored systemic ethical breaches during Mr. Lamarre’s tenure.

While penalties for Mr. Lamarre have not yet been finalized, the disciplinary council of L’Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec will set a date to determine sanctions, which could include revocation of his engineering license or fines.

The ruling marks a formal reckoning for misconduct that tarnished SNC-Lavalin’s reputation and highlighted governance failures in its pursuit of international contracts and political influence.

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