EDMONTON, AB, May 6, 2024
/CNW/ - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) plays a crucial
role in ensuring the integrity of our immigration system and holds
accountable individuals who attempt to defraud new immigrants to
Canada.
On April 8, 2024, Maneet 'Mani'
Malhotra, a resident of Ontario,
pleaded guilty in an Edmonton
courtroom to one count under section 91 of the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) for charging for
immigration services without the legal authorization to do so.
Malhotra was handed an 18-month conditional sentence, including six
months of house arrest, and was ordered to pay $148,000 in victim restitution.
In 2019, the CBSA began its investigation into Malhotra and her
Edmonton-based business, NAMI
Immigration Inc., after a referral from the Government of
Alberta's Temporary Foreign Worker
Advisory Office. It was determined that two clients paid Malhotra
$30,000 and $45,000 to arrange employment in Alberta. Instead of receiving jobs, they
were forced into a scheme where they were required to pay for
fraudulent pay stubs.
During the investigation, the CBSA discovered more incidents
where Malhotra charged for immigration services that included fake
job offers and forged documents. In addition, Malhotra did not
submit the required official paperwork to Immigration, Refugees
and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It was determined that Malhotra
did not meet the requirements of IRPA to provide
immigration-related services as she was not a registered
immigration consultant or a practicing lawyer.
On December 17, 2019, the CBSA
executed a search warrant at the offices of NAMI Immigration and
found fraudulent immigration-related documents as well as
additional client information. On April 21,
2023, charges were laid against Malhotra and on May 1, 2023, the CBSA arrested Malhotra at her
residence in Mississauga,
Ontario.
Quote
"The Canada Border Services Agency is committed to investigating
and pursuing the prosecution of individuals who abuse Canada's immigration system. By dismantling
fraudulent immigration schemes, we are protecting the integrity of
Canada's borders and safeguarding
potential immigrants from exploitation."
- Janalee
Bell-Boychuk, Regional Director General, Prairie Region,
Canada Border Services Agency
Quick Facts
- Section 91 of the IRPA is designed to protect victims of
immigration violations by making it a criminal offense to provide
immigration advice for a fee unless the provider is authorized.
People who provide paid immigration advice or representation must
be a member in good standing of a law society of a province or
territory, or be licenced by the College of Immigration and
Citizenship Consultants.
- The CBSA is responsible for identifying, investigating and
prosecuting individuals and entities that are connected to
organized crime, human smuggling, immigration fraud,
terrorism and other violations of the Customs Act and
IRPA.
- Members of the public are encouraged to report suspicious
immigration activities to the CBSA by calling 1-888-502-9060.
- There is a wide variety of resources available on IRCC's
website to help clients identify and protect themselves against
fraud. IRCC urges clients to use the official
departmental website to get accurate and reliable information about
its programs to avoid becoming victims of fraud.
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SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency