Paul R. Coffin (1942 – March 19, 2021) was a Canadian businessman who pleaded guilty to 15 counts of fraud in connection with the sponsorship scandal involving the Liberal Party of Canada in May 2005.[2][3] As head of Communication Coffin, an advertising agency based in Montreal, Quebec, Coffin was contracted by Public Works Canada to handle sponsorship deals on their behalf.[1] The RCMP charged him with 18 counts of fraud for submitting fake invoices in relation to this work,[1] which Coffin later admitted to during the Gomery Commission.[3] As part of his plea bargain, Coffin admitted to defrauding the federal government of $1,556,625, of which more than $1 million was eventually repaid to the federal government.[2] He initially received a conditional sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community, although the Quebec Court of Appeal overturned this, and sentenced him to 18 months in jail.[1]
According to Elections Canada, between 1999 and 2001 Coffin donated a total of $24,000 to the Liberal Party of Canada, the governing party of Canada at the time.[1]
Along with Jean Brault and Charles Guité, Coffin is one of only a few people who were ultimately charged in connection with the sponsorship scandal.[2] He died on March 19, 2021.[4]
