Quebec businessman arrested for attempted murder linked to attack on lawyer

MONTREAL — A Quebec businessman was arrested Friday morning in connection with the attempted murder of a lawyer who is involved in a civil case against him.

Police arrested Jean-Francois Malo Friday morning at his home in Joliette, northeast of Montreal, to face charges of attempted murder, discharging a firearm, engaging in conduct with the intent to provoke a state of fear in a justice system participant and obstructing the course of justice using violence.

He was expected to meet with investigators Friday ahead of being formally charged.

According to the arrest warrant for Malo signed Thursday by Quebec court judge Benoit Gariepy in St-Hyacinthe, the victim is lawyer Nicholas Daudelin, who was shot and injured on March 26 at his home in Mont-St-Hilaire, east of Montreal.

Court documents show Daudelin is listed as one of the lawyers representing financial institutions that are attempting to freeze assets owned by Malo and dozens of other defendants, whom they allege used fraudulent business tactics to obtain millions of dollars.

According to a Court of Appeal ruling from 2019, Desjardins credit union and other institutions allege that Malo and others carried out “dishonest and sophisticated manoeuvres which led to the diversion of large sums.” The suit was seeking more than $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

The substance of the allegations have not yet been tested in court, and the lawyer listed for Malo in the civil case could not be reached for comment.

Two other men have also been charged in connection with Daudelin’s attempted murder.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2020

The Canadian Press