Two suspended Quebec real estate agents accused of making false offers on homes have both been found guilty.
The disciplinary committee of the Organization of the Unlawful Movement of Quebec (OACIQ) announced its decisions against Christine Girouard and Jonathan Dauphiné-Fortin on Tuesday.
Girouard was one of the stars of the reality show “Numeros 1”.
In a news release, Quebec's real estate management association OACIQ said Girouard told partner Dauphiné Fortin to “create a commitment to purchase that would allow him to approach buyers and induce them to increase their bids.” These purchase offers represent a version of events in which the Disciplinary Committee, in the face of the weight of the evidence and the repetition of their conduct, did not believe the claims of the two brokers, accusing them of carrying out a fraudulent scheme. .
“The incriminating evidence is sufficiently clear,” the commission said in its decision.
In a May 2023 La Presse report, Re/MAX is known to be creating a sense of competition among legitimate buyers by forcing friends and family to submit fake offers in order to drive up prices among legitimate buyers. It was alleged that Mr. Girouard and Mr. Dauphiné Fortin had severed ties with each other.
Two months after the report was published, the real estate agent's license was suspended.
“This decision is exemplary and reminds us of the importance that real estate agents never engage in conflicts of interest. Christine Girouard and Jonathan Dauphiné-Fortin By choosing to use a fraudulent scheme for profit, real estate agents not only ended up paying unreasonably more for the property than the buyer expected, but also It has seriously damaged the image and reputation of the intermediary industry as a whole, and it lives on,” OACIQ vice president of oversight, Caroline Champagne, said in a release Tuesday.
Both men are scheduled to appear at a sanctions hearing at a later date. Girouard and Dauphine-Fortin could each face fines of up to $50,000, suspension or loss of license.
The governing body says any customer who believes they have been treated unfairly by the two real estate agents can apply for compensation from the Court-bound Compensation Fund.
