Ex-STM employee and businessman arrested by UPAC for fraud

A former STM employee and a construction entrepreneur are facing charges of breach of trust, fraud and producing false documents after being arrested Friday morning.

Richard Taylor, a former project technician with Montreal's transit authority, and Martin Lampron, president of the now-bankrupt Construction Martha, were picked up by a Montreal police-led section of Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC).

Taylor was fired by the STM in May 2014 following an internal investigation.

STM spokeswoman Isabelle Tremblay said the UPAC raid is linked to the findings of the internal investigation, but would not comment on the subject or findings of the investigation.

Robert Lafrenière, the head of UPAC, said it is "simply unacceptable" that fraud was allegedly committed, to the detriment of Montreal residents and STM users.

UPAC said in a news release that it would not comment further, citing the ongoing investigation.