Head of Sutton-Quebec accused of ordering arson attacks on other real estate firms
The president and co-founder of Sutton-Quebec has been arrested and is accused of ordering arson attacks on the offices of other real estate firms.
Christophe Folla, 70, has been charged with conspiracy and arson.
According to Folla's charge sheets, the arsons took place between Dec. 6, 2017 and Nov. 15, 2022.
The two victims that are mentioned in the charges are numbered companies.
According to Quebec's business registry, those companies' addresses are located in Saint-Sauveur, Que., in the Laurentians and belong to Royal LePage and ReMax Quebec.
About 500 metres separate those two offices.
The court documents showed that the crimes were also allegedly committed in Sainte-Thérèse and Terrebonne —municipalities that are located north of Montreal — and elsewhere in Quebec.
Folla was charged along with two other individuals: Benjamin Amar and Alain Marc Nahmias.
On Thursday, Sutton-Quebec's co-founder appeared at the courthouse in Saint-Jerôme, Que., via videoconference from the Sûreté du Québec's station in Mascouche.
Sutton-Quebec issued a statement announcing that it has cut all business ties with Folla.
According to its website, Sutton was created in 1983 in Vancouver. Folla co-founded Sutton's Quebec branch in 1995 and that company has about 1,500 brokers. It also completes about 22,000 transactions per year.
In a statement, Royal LePage Quebec vice-president Dominic St-Pierre said the company was pleased with the latest developments in the case "which has a considerable impact" on staff.
Folla's next court appearance in expected to be a bail hearing on Monday.
