Tony Accurso denies Mob links on final day of testimony

Former Quebec construction mogul TonyAccursodeniedMonday ever paying a cut to the Mob and said he never worked onprojects involving alleged Mafia kingpin VitoRizzuto.

Testifying for a fifth and final day at Quebec'sCharbonneauCommission,Accursoalso insisted he wasneverimplicated in acollusion system whereby public contracts were divided up amongfirms in Montreal.

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"I don't have any link with organized crime," Accurso told theinquiry. "I've never ever paid a cent for any reason whatsoever toMr. Rizzuto or a member of his entourage, or to an acquaintance ofhis."

Accurso said he never had a problem bidding on contracts inMontreal or anywhere else in Quebec and didn't need to pay offanyone to get a bid in.

He testified he always found diplomatic ways to get out ofassociating with those connected to the Rizzuto clan.

"I never wanted to work for Mr. Rizzuto or any project he wantedto do, be it directly or indirectly," Accurso said.

In testimony last week, Accurso described Rizzuto and his sonNick as "minor contacts."

Vito Rizzuto, who was alleged to be a leading organized crimefigure in Canada and leader of the Rizzuto crime clan in Montreal,died in 2013. His son Nick was gunned down in a Montreal street in2009.

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Once the owner of several influential construction companies,Accurso had argued unsuccessfully that testifying at the commissionwould jeopardize his right to a fair trial in pending criminalproceedings.

Accurso faces criminal charges in several municipal corruptioncases and is also charged with tax fraud.