It was reported that Lacroix filed up to 115 false reports with securities regulators. Each charge had a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of up to C$5 million. In October 2005, the AMF also sued Lacroix for C$94 million and an investigation was also launched by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Investors Up to 9,200 investors were affected by the crime. Many of the investors involved asked the province of Quebec to launch a public inquiry. The Action démocratique du Québec and the Parti Québécois also asked the provincial government of Jean Charest to appoint an investigating commission. In June 2006, Ernst & Young agreed to distribute C$31 million to about 5,600 investors who were among those hardest hit. The AMF offered settlements to 900 investors, but denied the rest. According to the AMF, investors are not protected from fraud in embezzlement made by an administrator of equity funds and thus don't receive a settlement, unlike fraud by a stockbroker, where an investor can receive as much as $200,000 in settlement. 140 other investors later launched a class action accusing the regulator of abusing its power. On January 19, 2011 CBC reported that an agreement has been reached under which all investors would be fully reimbursed. Criminal trial Lacroix's criminal trial took place in 2007 and lasted 58 days. Lacroix did not have legal defense aid after a court ruling. In November 2007, he requested 30 witnesses to testify in his place, but this request was rejected by the trial judge, Claude Leblond. Lacroix claimed that he could not testify himself because his credibility was attacked. On December 11, 2007 Lacroix was found guilty of all 51 counts. On January 28, 2008, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined C$255,000. On June 6, 2008, he received permission to appeal his sentence. Further charges in June 2008 On June 18, 2008, a further 922 criminal charges were laid against six people involved in the scandal, including Lacroix and former Quebec provincial civil servant Jean Renaud. Charges included fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud, falsifying documents and conspiracy to falsify documents, and money laundering. Renaud was fired by the Province hours before his arrest. Lacroix, who was released during the summer of 2009, went through a transition home and performed several hours of community work. On September 21, he returned to trial for