Maple syrup heist mastermind must pay $9 million fine for stealing tons of the pancake topper
The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a $9 million fine for the ringleader of a 2012 heist of more than $18 million in maple syrup.
Richard Vallières had been found guilty in 2017 of theft, trafficking and fraud for stealing $18 million worth of maple syrup, Canadian network CTV News reported at the time. He was sentenced to eight years in prison and fined more than $9 million.
During the trial in Quebec Superior Court, Vallières said he sold the syrup for $10 million and made a profit of about $1 million, according to the Supreme Court of Canada's website. An appeals court in 2020 then reduced the fine to $1 million.
The heist was discovered in July 2012 when an inventory check at a Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers warehouse found barrels containing water instead of syrup, the court said.
The Quebec provincial police arrested Vallières and 15 others in December 2012. Charges included theft of 2,700 tons of maple syrup, Canadian network CTV News reported.
The heist from the warehouse, which contained Quebec's syrup reserves, was so large that it put a dent in the global supply of maple syrup, The Associated Press reported. Quebec produces more than 70% of the world's maple syrup, Bloomberg reported.
But The Crown – while Canada has a prime minister, it remains a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II its head of state – appealed the decision, arguing the appellate court should not have reduced the fine.
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The nine justices of the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that Vallières must pay a fine of about $9.2 million, equal to the amount for which he sold the syrup – $10 million – minus the $828,602 restitution he had paid from the previous court order, Chief Justice Richard Wagner wrote on behalf of the court.
Vallières has 10 years to pay the fine or he must serve six years in prison.
Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.