Winnipeg (July 15, 2020) – Authorities laid multiple charges in connection with separate immigration fraud cases. The suspects allegedly were taking advantage of immigrants for financial gain. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) charged two men, Chinenye (Victor) Alozie and Yhihao Jia, who allegedly acted as phony immigration consultants in Winnipeg. The York Regional Police arrested Ziba Foulady in Markham and laid charges against her for allegedly misrepresenting herself as a paralegal and offering immigration services to newcomers to Canada of Persian descent.
Authorities charged two men and a woman in relation to three separate immigration fraud cases. All three allegedly took advantage of immigrants for financial gain.
The Winnipeg immigration fraud cases
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that they laid immigration fraud charges in two Winnipeg cases. The two men are accused of acting as phony immigration consultants, according to the agency’s press release.
The CBSA charged Chinenye (Victor) Alozie of Winnipeg under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act with collecting fees while acting as an unauthorized immigration consultant and with counseling clients to misrepresent their situations on immigration applications. Additionally, the agency charged the 33-year-old for attempted fraud. The alleged incidents occurred over an almost five-year period, between July 2014 and June 2019. He is scheduled to appear in Winnipeg Provincial Court on July 13.
Furthermore, the CBSA charged Yhihao Jia, who is formerly of Winnipeg, in connection with immigration act breaches. The 26-year-old allegedly collected fees as an unauthorized immigration consultant and misrepresented his clients’ situations on immigration applications between February 2017 and April 2019. He is facing three immigration act charges and is scheduled to appear in Winnipeg Provincial Court on July 27.
Jia had been running Jiatoo Immigration Consulting in Winnipeg. Reportedly, the consulting business abruptly closed last year and allegedly left several Chinese immigrants out of thousands of dollars.
Immigration fraud targeting newcomers of Persian descent
The York regional police arrested Ziba Foulady from Markham in connection with an ongoing fraud investigation involving fraudulent immigration services, according to the police’s press release.
The Financial Crimes Unit determined that the 43-year-old administrative assistant for a paralegal firm in Markham had promoted herself on social media as well as word of mouth as a qualified immigration consultant and paralegal. However, she was not qualified nor certified to offer immigration services.
Foulady allegedly invoiced clients who were primarily newcomers to Canada of Persian descent for assisting them with becoming permanent residents or with bringing family members to Canada. The police believe that she received money for services that were never rendered. To give the appearance that work was being done, the police believes that she produced fraudulent documentation that was provided to clients.
On July 3, she has been charged with Fraud Over $5,000, Theft Over $5,000, three counts of Uttering Forged Document, and three counts of Uttering Threats. Multiple victims have already come forward to report their dealings with the accused, but investigators believe there may be additional victims.
Only authorized representatives can charge a fee for immigration services
The CBSA pointed out that only authorized representatives can be hired to represent or advise a person on their immigration application. The list includes lawyers and paralegals, notaries, and citizenship or immigration consultants who are members of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council. People can find out if their representative is authorized on the website of the Government of Canada.
‘Our country’s immigration system is built on fairness and equal opportunity,’ said Brad Wozny, Acting Regional Director General for the CBSA in the Prairie Region in their press release. ‘The charges announced today send a clear signal that taking advantage of immigrants for financial gain will not be tolerated.’
Read more: Three people from Ottawa allegedly wrangled $500K in immigration scheme
