Ex whistleblower Lino Zambito suspends ties with Quebec’s anti corruption unit

MONTREAL A former construction entrepreneur turned star whistleblower at Quebec’s corruption inquiry announced today that he’s suspending his collaboration with the province’s anticorruption unit.

Lino Zambito, who pleaded guilty to fraud-related charges in 2015, is also calling for Quebec’s public security minister to launch an independent investigation into the unit before the Quebec government adopts a bill to give it increased powers.

At a news conference, Zambito denied being one of the people responsible for allegedly leaking information on ongoing investigations to the media.

Documents unsealed last week reveal that the anti-corruption unit, known as UPAC, has been hunting for two years to find the sources responsible for the leaks.

The documents suggest that the four people suspected to have released the information are Zambito, legislature member Guy Ouellette, former police officer Richard Despaties and officer Stephane Bonhomme.

Zambito insisted on Sunday that he wasn’t the source the unit was looking for, saying he didn’t have access to investigation files.

Zambito is known for his testimony in 2012 at the Charbonneau inquiry, where he said construction magnates paid kickbacks to municipal political parties and to members of the Mafia in exchange for public contracts.