A Montreal entrepreneur recognized worldwide as a hero in the fight against crime faces charges of fraud and corruption, learned The Press. The RCMP believe that Robert Walsh, his former ballistics analysis firm and three of his former associates bribed Philippine government officials to obtain public contracts with local police.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
Vincent Larouche
The Press
All fans of the series ITUC have heard the term “IBIS” before. It is the acronym for the “Integrated Ballistics Identification System”, a computerized analysis system that links a firearm projectile found at a crime scene to the weapon that fired it. In the popular TV series, the IBIS is the key to solving countless crimes. Just as in real life.
Since its invention in Montreal by a small engineering firm in the early 1990s, the IBIS has revolutionized the investigation of gun crimes in several countries.
Rather than individually analyzing projectiles and the weapon with their antique microscope in their lab, specialist technicians could instantly obtain a hyper-precise “signature” etched into the projectile and search for a match in massive databases powered by bodies of police exchanging information.
PHOTO FROM ULTRA ELECTRONICS FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY WEBSITE
An IBIS system used by police forces to read traces left on firearm projectiles
The IBIS was developed and marketed by a small firm called Forensic Technology, located above a police station in Côte-Saint-Luc. The idea had germinated during discussions between the founder of Forensic Technology, Robert Walsh, and a retired police officer from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
In 70 countries
The Canadian federal police force purchased the technology developed by Mr. Walsh’s team. The FBI, several American police forces and hundreds of similar organizations in 70 countries have done the same.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
SPVM officers are investigating a murder scene. When a projectile is found, experts can check whether it matches the specific signature left by a particular weapon.
Robert Walsh has become a global star in the world of criminal investigations. He has been interviewed by the major media, was crowned entrepreneur of the year in Quebec in 2002 by Ernst & Young, even won the award for excellence in forensic science from the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2014. That year, his company was sold for $100 million to the British company Ultra Electronics, but kept its offices in Montreal.
Robert Walsh stayed two more years with what was now called Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology. Upon his retirement in 2016, he received the Meritorious Service Cross from Governor General David Johnston, during a ceremony at the Citadelle of Quebec.
Bribes for three contracts
But the relationship between the visionary businessman and the police has just changed dramatically, learned The Press. The septuagenarian was charged by way of summons with one count of fraud and two counts of foreign public official bribery, according to a court document filed in court. He must appear officially before a judge on September 28, at the Montreal courthouse.
Mr. Walsh did not respond Tuesday to a call from The Press done at his Montreal home.
Other former employees or managers of the company are co-accused with him: this is the case of Tim Heaney, former vice-president of sales and marketing who left Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology in 2019. René Bélanger and Michael McLean, two former senior executives, are also accused of the same crimes.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
René Bélanger, former senior executive of Forensic Technology
Ultra Electronics Forensic Technology also faces the same three counts as a corporation, in a separate case.
The police confirmed to The Press that his investigation began in August 2018. It was conducted by the International and Sensitive Investigations Section, within the RCMP National Division, located in Ottawa.
The alleged facts allegedly occurred over several years, between 2006 and 2018. According to our information, the investigation concerns the obtaining of three public contracts in the Philippines, to supply IBIS systems, laboratory equipment and a weapons recognition system fire at the Philippine National Police.
Always according to what was able to learn The Press, a former executive allegedly told the police that the Montreal company had done business with a commercial agent in the Philippines, a local businessman who paid people in the government to obtain contracts, with the agreement of Montrealers. None of the police allegations have been tested in court so far.
The charge of bribery of a foreign public official is very rarely used in Canada. It has led to the filing of charges in less than a dozen cases since the adoption of the law in 1998, notably in the case of bribes paid by SNC-Lavalin leaders in Libya. In 2013, the Harper government increased the maximum sentence from 5 to 14 years in prison if convicted.
“The RCMP remains committed to disrupting, deterring and preventing corruption, both in Canada and abroad, and aims to bring to justice those individuals and businesses implicated in these types of crimes,” the police force commented. in a message sent to The Press.
The company, which had launched its own internal investigation into this case, underlines for its part that it collaborated with the police.
“Ultra investigated, in full cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a historical problem of corruption in the Philippines. None of the people involved are still with the company today, and this contract is no longer active,” said Gabriella Colley, spokesperson for the group based in London.
“The matter in question is currently the subject of an ongoing legal process, and further announcements will be made in due course,” she added.
