[LINK] "'Pierre Poutine' will admit robocall role, sources say"

[rfmcdonald]

Writing for the Ottawa Citizen, Stephen Maher and Glen McGregor report that "Pierre Poutine"--the man who commissioned misleading and confusing robocalls in the riding of Guelph in the last election--has been identified with an actual person.

The news that Elections Canada investigators are aware of the IP address that “Pierre Poutine” used to set up the Guelph, Ont., robocall account has convinced a suspect to step forward and accept responsibility for the deceptive calls, sources say.

Whoever set up the account that sent out the election day message that deceived opposition supporters in Guelph was careful to cover his electronic tracks.

According to sworn affidavits from Elections Canada investigator Al Mathews, and sources close to the investigation, whoever sent the fake recorded message used a prepaid credit card to buy a prepaid cellphone, registered an account under a fake name and address with robocall provider RackNine, and used a different fake name and address — Pierre Poutine of Separatist Street, Joliette, Que. — to set up his cellphone.

But the CEO of RackNine, Matt Meier, was able to trace Poutine’s electronic trail back to a specific Internet protocol address, which is apparently assigned to a single home. Sources say that revelation has now convinced someone to step forward and own up to the scheme.

Someone with knowledge of the affair is expected to share information with Elections Canada on Monday.

[. . .]

Since the Ottawa Citizen-Postmedia News investigation into fraudulent political calls last month, opposition researchers have been tracking down reports of similar calls in other ridings.

The reports, which have not been independently confirmed, say that opposition supporters outside Guelph also recall receiving a recorded message from Elections Canada advising them that their polling station had been moved.

A source familiar with the investigation said Sunday that Pierre Poutine may be asked about that.

“Where did he get the script?” the source said. “He didn’t come up with the same script in 30 ridings.”

A report in the Globe and Mail suggests that the man alleged to be Pierre Poutine cancelled the meeting scheduled for today on the advice of his lawyers.