London Mayor Joe Fontana is facing three criminal charges relating to a federal cheque that paid the deposit on the 2005 wedding reception for his son Michael, his lawyer says.

The charges of fraud, breach of trust by a public official and uttering forged documents were filed against him Wednesday by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police following an investigation of more than two months.

They relate to a $1,700 cheque issued by Public Works Canada that was used to pay the Marconi Club -- a London social club. A copy of the stub from that cheque was obtained by The Free Press and published five weeks ago. The invoice number on the cheque stub, dated April 6, 2005, matched that of the Marconi Club invoice issued about six months earlier.

Fontana is scheduled to appear in court on the charge on Jan. 8, 2013.

A former Marconi Club manager toldThe Free Press Fontana later produced a similar cheque for the $18,900 balance owing. He said he remembered the payment clearly because he had to chase Fontana six months to get it.

At the time, Fontana was a Liberal member of Parliament for London North Centre and federal minister of labour and housing. He was elected mayor in late 2010 and is midway through his four-year term.

Fontana was charged early Wednesday and released on a promise to appear in court.

Shortly after the RCMP confirmed its investigation, Fontana said he would produce personal documentation relating to the reception, but then went silent after he retained London lawyer Gord Cudmore.

The Mounties were called in by the House of Commons, which authorizes payments for MPs and then has Public Works issue cheques.

Several members of council have said they plan to bring a motion before council's finance and administration committee Monday asking Fontana to step aside pending the outcome of the case. If successful, the matter would then go to council's next scheduled meeting Dec. 11.

Fontana's lawyer Gord Cudmore has scheduled a news conference for Thursday at 1 p.m., which will be live streamed on lfpress.com.

The charges prompted longtime Fontana supporter Ward 9 Coun. Dale Henderson to suggest the mayor remove himself from office until the matter is settled in court.

"I think he should step aside. I will certainly encourage him to step aside," Henderson said.

Fontana can remain a member of council but until the air is cleared, should not lead the city, he said.

But Henderson stopped short of saying he will vote for Fontana to step aside if the matter comes up, saying council cannot force the mayor to leave.

chip.martin@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/ChipatLFPress

--with files from Jane Sims, Free Press reporter

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Breach of Trust by a Public Officer

"Every official who, in connection with the duties of his office, commits fraud or a breach of trust is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, whether or not the fraud or breach of trust would be an offence if it were committed in relation to a private person."

Fraud

"Everyone who, by deceit, falsehood or other fraudulent means, whether or not it is a false pretence within the meaning of this act, defrauds the public or any person, whether ascertained or not, of any property, money or valuable security (a) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding ten years, where the subject-matter of the offence is a testamentary instrument or where the value of the subject-matter of the offence exceeds one thousand dollars."

Uttering forged document

368. (1) Every one who, knowing that a document is forged,

(a) uses, deals with or acts on it, or

(b) causes or attempts to cause any person to use, deal with or act on it, as if the document were genuine,

(c) is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years; or

(d) is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.

--Excerpts from the Criminal Code of Canada

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*Official RCMP release

Mr. Joseph Fontana Charged

(London, Ontario – November 21, 2012) – The London Detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has filed criminal charges against Mr. Joseph Fontana, the Mayor of the City of London, Ontario.

In October, 2012, the RCMP was contacted by the House of Commons in regards to an alleged inappropriate use of funds by Mr. Fontana while he was serving as a Member of Parliament in 2005.

As the result of the investigation, Mr. Joseph Fontana has been charged with the following Criminal Code (CC) offences:

Breach of Trust by Public Officer, contrary to section 122 CC

Fraud Under $5000 contrary to section 380 (1)(b) CC

Uttering Forged Documents contrary to section 368 CC

Mr. Fontana is scheduled to appear at the London Provincial Court House on January 08, 2013.

-30-

Sgt. Richard Rollings

Media Relations Coordinator

RCMP "O" Division

Office: (519) 640-7302

Cell: (416) 992-4409

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/on/index-eng.htm