Hefty sentences, fines in BC’s biggest immigration fraud investigation
Posted April 18, 2017 5:53 pm.
Last Updated April 18, 2017 7:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Three people have received hefty prison sentences and fines after the single biggest immigration fraud investigation in British Columbia’s history.
Jin “Fanny” Ma, Ming Kun “Makkie” Wu and Wen “Vivian” Jiang had been involved in an unlicensed immigration consulting business, and previously pleaded guilty to charges including representing on immigration matters without authority, passport offences, misrepresentation, forgery and tax evasion.
Each of the accused was sentenced to 18 months in a British Columbia provincial jail. Ma received a fine of $96,000, Wu $50,000 and Jiang $74,000.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Criminal Investigations Section and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) say the sentences are the result of a lengthy investigation into the activities of New Can Consultants Ltd. and Wellong International Investments Ltd., two unlicensed immigration consulting businesses offering services in Metro Vancouver.
Harald M Wuigk from CBSA says between 2006 and 2013, more than 1,600 of New Can’s clients collectively paid approximately $10 million for fraudulent services. This included creating the fictitious appearance of Canadian residency to keep permanent resident status and obtain Canadian citizenship.
“This is the biggest immigration fraud that we’ve encountered.”
“(Officers) in Alberta noticed that there were a number of permanent residency applications that were all claiming to reside at the same addresses. So, for example, one single address in Canada was listed as a place of residence for over 60 applicants.”
“CBSA continued with the investigation, ultimately uncovering quite a sophisticated immigration fraud scheme that was perpetrated by a number of consultants in the Metro Vancouver area.”
“Fraud impacts the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and will not be tolerated. The sentencing today is a result of the CBSA’s commitment to prosecuting individuals that willingly break the law,” he says.
The CBSA’s Inland Enforcement Section has reviewed the list of clients, and is actively pursuing investigations on any person found to have fraudulently misrepresented themselves to obtain or maintain permanent resident status.
