A lawyer from Montérégie was disbarred from the Bar for a period of two months for having illegitimately sheltered in his trust account an amount of $173,000 for the benefit of a client, against compensation of $4,000.
“I knew I was committing a professional offense,” M admitted last Friday.e Yanick Péloquin, before the Disciplinary Council of the Quebec Bar issues its sanctions.
Me Yanick Péloquin, disbarred for two months.
Photo taken from Facebook, YANICK PÉLOQUIN
The 51-year-old lawyer was also fined $2,500, after admitting that he had violated the code of ethics of lawyers and held a sum of money in his trust account (privilege granted to lawyers) which was not linked to a legitimate mandate.
Professional secret
In April 2022, less than a year after the start of his practice, Me Péloquin deposited $173,000 from a bogus invoice, which was then paid to a real estate developer whose identity must be kept secret, under an order of the Council, on the grounds of respect for professional secrecy. The resident of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel was then to receive a commission of $4,000.
However, when he had not even transferred the entire tidy sum yet, the man who calls himself a “people’s lawyer” was caught during a professional inspection visit in June 2023.
The economic incongruity was quickly detected and then submitted to the Bar trustee.
“A lawyer who prepares a false document commits an objectively very serious offense. This is a great lack of integrity,” commented Mr.e Daniel Gagnon, deputy trustee of the Bar.
He particularly deplored the duration of the infringement, almost two years. A final transfer was made last March, containing the reimbursement of the compensation.
“It is still difficult today to know what this false invoice was used for,” asks M.e Gagnon. We do not know everything that is hidden behind this maneuver, the idea of which seems to be Mr. [X].”
Instrumentalized
According to the deputy trustee, Me Péloquin would possibly have “been exploited by an experienced person who perhaps took advantage of his vulnerability”, he who was a young lawyer.
“All this to lead him down a path that he should never have taken,” he said, indicating that these actions brought shame to the profession.
For his part, the repentant lawyer opened up about his motivation to act for the one he considers a mentor.
“Before, I was a janitor in fast-food restaurants at night. When I became a lawyer, I was very proud, but I still had imposter syndrome, he confided. I sometimes needed booster my esteem.”
No more mopping
So when his client approached him about cases involving “big money” [sic]», Me Péloquin said he was flattered, believing he was finally accomplishing “something big”.
Furthermore, Yanick Péloquin published taking a two-month “sabbatical” to recharge his batteries, on his Facebook page.
“Sorel-Tracy is a small town. I am forever scarred here, but I will bounce back, he said. I don’t think I’ll find my broom and mop again.”
Yanick Péloquin notably represented Isaac Brouillard Lessard before his death, he who killed police officer Maureen Breau, in March 2023.
