- Sunday, October 10, .1993 —- North Shore News

Guill

ity verdict handed dewn

WV lawyer, NV accountant among

group prosecuted for 1984 scheme

WEST VANCOUVER lawyer Roger Lawrence and North
Vancouver accountant Michael Richards were convicted
Tuesday of a $15 million 1984 fraud, as the longest trial

this year in B.C. ended.

After a lengthy seven-day jury
deliberation, the two men were
found guilty on five counts, along
with co-defendants Ronald
Johnson, a Richmond
businessman, and. Gerald Byerlay
of Chilliwack.

Lawrence was also found guilty
on two further proceeds-of-crime
counts, including the purchase of
his British Properties home at
1075 Millstrea Road.

All four men are free on bail
pending sentencing by Mr. Justice
Randall Sue-Kue Wong at the
B.C. Supreme Court in Van-
couver.

By Brent Mudry

Contributing Writer

The jury found insufficient evi-
dence to convict on two of the
projects totalling $26 million.

The fraudulent schemes were
conducted under the short-lived
Scientific Research. Tax Credit
(SRTC) plan of the federal gov-
ernment. The program was
designed to stimulate new techno-
logy research and development.
The much-abused program .even-
tually cost the government over $2

prosecution ever, and the longest
prosecution Revenue Canada has
ever pursued in Western Canada.
Investigators uncovered thousands
of related documents, as well as
evidence of money-laundering and
offshore fund transfers through
Hong Kong and _ several other
countries,

Michael Vaz of West Vancouver
and two other Lower Mainland
people remain charged. They are
believed to be living abroad. Dara
Wilder, a Bellingham man, will go
to two separate trials next year —
in April in Winnipeg and in
September in Vancouver.

Through three companies, Ca-
nadian Bio-Mass Research Inc.,
Coastal Natural Resources Inc.,
Pacific Western Research Inc., the
group claimed and certified sup-
posedly ground-breaking research ;
work. .

Byerlay, the supposed scientific
expert, turned out to be a former

engineer

military road-builder, and not an
graduate of the

or

non-existent
Western Virginia as claimed.

The trial began on February 9,
and sat for 38 pre-trial days of
motions before

in huge tax fraud

jury joined in March. The trial
although
the jury sat for 102 days,

itself lasted 156 days,
University of
lawyer-wrangling ensued.

the 12-member due next month.

Sentencing on the convictions is ,

billion in lost taxes.

Revenue Canada has been in-
vestigating, pursuing and  pro-
secuting SRTC frauds since the
program was abandoned in 1985,
a year after it started.

The trial was the longest SRTC

The group were involved in 23
research projects which claimed
over $200 million in tax refunds.
After a five-year investigation,
Revenue Canada faid charges
covering four projects tctalling
$40 million.

Be one of the first 10 people i in our door on
Sunday October 10 with two non-perishable
food donations for the food bank at the
North Shore Neighbourhood House and
we'll give you two Free tickets to
the. B.C. Fall Home Show.

1139 Lonsdale Ave.
4 North Vancouver

NO GIMMICKS — JUST §
HONEST HARD WORK |

TO WORK FOR YOU
= 983-2518 |
: "Seen: tat NARROWS

They want to take it away.

Don’t let them.

Some people have some strange ideas. They

B.C. Customers:
convenient delivery
from Vancouver stores. Fax 732-4289

Phone Service

- 987-6424 locat or |"4
1-800-665-4287 |.

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SPOTLIGHT
every Wednesday in the
North Shore News

New Democrats will stand up

to fight for our health care.

Thirty years ago, it was New Democrats who

(1817 - 1892)

“T bear witness, O my God, that Thou
hast created me to know Thee and to
worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to

know that Canadians are proud of our health
care system, but they're not prepared to stand up
and fight for it. Kim Campbell is in favour of
medical user fees one day, and is opposed to them
the next. Preston Manning favours asystem where
Medicare only covers some Canadians -- the rest

‘will have to try to buy private medical insurance.

And who knows what Jean Chretien and the
Liberals would do if they actually formed
government. We don’t want to see one health care

helped create our health caresystem. We said that
quality medicat care must be available and
affordable to all Canadians, And we helped make
that idea a reality. We don’t want to take a step
backwards to American-style healthcare.

Medicare for everyoneis one of the best things
about living in Canada, and Audrey McLaughlin
and Canada’s New Democrats will fight to make
sure they don’t take it away.

Because that’s what we stand for, and that’s
what we believe in.

my powerlessness and to Thy might; to
my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is
none other God but Thee, the Help in
Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”

Course on ‘Baha’ i Faith
West Van Memorial Library
4 Tuesdays, Oct. 12-Nov. 2. 7:30-9:30 pm
Call 921-3334 or register at door $10.00

system for the rich and another for the poor.

in North Vancouver

GRAEME

SOW BRICK

105 East 12th Street, North Vancouver, B.C.

Baha’i
Faith

NV City 984-2895
NV Dist.
West Van 921-3334*

929-4708*

Bookstore 731-8199

PHONE 280-1236

Canada’s
New Democrats