Charges dropped against woman tied to Robert Miller investigation

All charges have been dropped against a woman who police alleged was an accomplice to Montreal billionaire Robert Miller's alleged sex crimes, according to her lawyer.

Montreal police arrested Teresita Fuentes in June of 2024. She was charged with procuring sexual services in connection with one of Miller's alleged victims.

Lawyer Valérie Acosta told CBC News in an email that "the Crown has announced it no longer has evidence to offer in my client's case. Consequently, she was acquitted."

The charges against Miller and Fuentes were the culmination of a yearlong police investigation, which was triggered by a CBC/Radio-Canada investigation that aired in February 2023.

Miller was facing 24 charges related to sex crimes involving 11 women, most of whom were minors at the time of the alleged crimes which took place between 1994 and 2016.

Back in June, Quebec Superior Court Justice Lyne Décarie ruled Miller is too sick to stand trial and ordered a stay of proceedings, effectively ending the criminal trial.

Chief prosecutor Dominique Potvin said that Miller, 81, has the most advanced stage of Parkinson's disease as well as heart and respiratory problems. He is bedridden, incontinent, needs to receive oxygen periodically, struggles to write and can only say a few words at a time without getting exhausted, he said.

Soon after he was charged, Miller said he was innocent and signalled his intention to fight the allegations. He said that "the clear motivation behind this whole case, dating back as far as 30 years ago, is easy financial gain" at his expense.

More recently, Montreal police have arrested a man who allegedly assisted Miller by organizing a network to sexually exploit young women and girls. Raymond Poulet, 76, faces 10 charges, including sexual assault, sexual touching and compelling someone into prostitution.

The 81-year-old businessman is also the subject of two civil lawsuits, including a class action with more than 50 plaintiffs which was authorized to proceed by the Superior Court. Miller is appealing that authorization and contests the allegations of the suit.