A former executive of Groupaction, the advertising firm at the centre of the federal sponsorship scandal, says he received a death threat last week, ahead of his expected testimony next week at a Commons committee hearing.

Alain Richard told CFCF News in Montreal that around 4 a.m. on March 25, he woke up to a ringing doorbell. When he opened the front door, he found a message.

"There was a message on my doorknob, saying if I talk too much, I'm going to die," he said.

Richard worked as a vice-president for Groupaction marketing for two years, and left in 1997. He claims he was fired for raising concerns about questionable government contracts.

His testimony before the Public Accounts Committee is expected to detail how reports were photocopied and time sheets were forged.

Last week the Toronto Star reported that Richard had already told RCMP investigators that Canadian taxpayers were billed $1.5 million for reports worth $50,000 or less.

The committee is expected to ask Richard about a statement he made earlier, that he saw then-public works minister Alfonso Gagliano while he worked at Groupaction.

Groupaction was one of a number of companies with ties to the Liberals that was mentioned by Auditor General Sheila Fraser in her scathing February report on wasteful government spending.

Richard says former colleagues are trying to discredit him, by painting him as a loose cannon with a wild imagination.

He told CFCF he plans to back up his claims with hard evidence, because last week's testimony by former Olympic athlete Myriam Bedard about Groupaction and Via Rail made some claims that were based on hearsay.

Among Bedard's allegations was a statement that race car driver Jacques Villeneuve had been paid $12 million US to wear a Canadian flag on his uniform. Villeneuve's agent has denied the claim.

"I'm going to testify on facts," Richard said. "Not what I heard or know."

Provincial police wouldn't confirm Richard's story about the threat, saying investigations of this nature are private.

In February, Richard told Canada AM that he had hired his own bodyguards to ensure his safety.

Richard is now out of the country but said he plans on being back in time to testify the week of April 5.

Based on a report by CFCF-TV's Amanda Jelowicki