The SPVQ arrested a massage therapist who practiced at his residence in Lac Saint-Charles and who allegedly sexually assaulted at least ten of his clients; police were looking for other potential victims.
• Also read: More than 20 massage therapists accused of sexual crimes against clients
Bruno Canuel was arrested Wednesday morning by sex crime investigators from the Quebec City Police Department. The 67-year-old appears to have answered to ten counts of sexual assault against the same number of victims.
This is yet another case adding to the already long list of massage therapists facing trial for sexual misconduct committed within the scope of their practice. The magazine published the full file on the topic last May after discovering about twenty similar files.
Victims and experts in the field also deplore the lack of monitoring and oversight that is preventing the problem from being properly addressed.
• Also read: Massage therapists accused of sex crimes: lack of oversight prevents public awareness
According to authorities, the crimes charged against Bruno Canuel occurred while the defendant was working as a massage therapist. The latter runs the AZURA Massage Therapy Center from his residence in the Lac Saint-Charles sector.
It is forbidden to engage with women.
Canuel showed up late Wednesday night. The prosecutor agreed to his release under various conditions. In particular, the court ordered a sixty-year-old man not to engage in massage with female clients, but he will be able to continue operating his clinic with men.
He is also prohibited from having any contact or presence in the workplace of the ten applicants involved in the case.
His case will return to court next December.
Taken from Facebook Bruno Canuel
SPVQ is now asking for the public's help in identifying other potential claimants for the man.
“We have reason to believe that Bruno Canuel may have caused other victims,” police said. Computer equipment was also seized from his home during a search during his arrest.
The Quebec Security Service's serial crime management structure has also been used in parallel with the investigation, given the number of suspected victims identified to date.
