The woman who presented herself on social media as the “fake real lawyer prefect of Quebec”, Megan Lalonde, pleaded guilty last Friday to two counts and was sentenced to serve 45 days in prison.
This was reported by the local newspaper. The New Unionafter the 24-year-old woman appeared at the Victoriaville courthouse. The accused pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud under $5,000. In September 2021, she had placed an ad for the sale of a swimming pool on Marketplace. Following an agreement, the complainant made an initial payment of $500, after which he did not hear from M.me Lalonde.
The latter also pleaded guilty to one count of obstructing the work of a peace officer. On July 30, Megan Lalonde was arrested by Blainville police. She was then the subject of an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court in another fraud case.
According to The New Unionthat’s when Mme Lalonde allegedly gave a false identity – something she admitted to doing: “The prosecution [d’entrave] “is legitimate,” she said. After finally giving her real identity, Megan Lalonde appeared in court the day after this arrest.
Judge Simon Ricard ultimately endorsed the joint suggestion of the defence and the Crown, namely a total prison sentence of 45 days. By deducting the equivalent of 26 days spent in pretrial detention, the accused had 19 days of prison time left to serve as of last Friday.
After pleading guilty, Megan Lalonde had the opportunity to speak in court, saying that prison had been good for her. “I thank you for the incarceration. I think it’s what I needed. It allowed me to find myself, to find the real Megan,” she said, as reported by The New Union.
Wishing her good luck, the magistrate warned her that she would face even harsher penalties if she reoffended.
Troubles with the Bar
Last May, Megan Lalonde was fined $7,500 following an investigation by the Barreau du Québec. However, since she has not paid the fine, a trial must take place to determine whether or not she illegally practiced the profession of lawyer.
The professional body – whose objective is to ensure the protection of the public – had received complaints from litigants saying they had been cheated by Mr.me Lalonde, who claimed to have obtained a law degree from Laval University in 2020.
On social media, she regularly posted photos and videos of herself in various courthouses in Quebec. Her modus operandi The way to fool her victims was very simple: the fake criminal lawyer would ask her potential clients for a cash deposit with the promise of representing them. She would then run away without returning the money paid.
With Mayssa Ferah, The Press