Canada Immigration Consultants Charged with Fraud

Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has laid 61 charges against Carol Massoud, 23 charges against Bradley Jacobson and 8 charges against Kendall Schmidt under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Criminal Code. Ms. Massoud appeared at the Montréal courthouse where as Bradley Jacobson and Kendall Schmidt appeared at the Winnipeg Provincial Court.

The charges laid on Carol Massoud include aiding or abetting individuals to misrepresent themselves to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada for immigration purposes. She has also been charged with with possessing property obtained by crime.

It is a criminal offense to provide immigration advise without being an accredited and authorized representative. Ms. Massoud is not an authorized representative, however, she provided false or misleading information to encourage immigration to Canada, and making written statements that she knew were false or misleading to procure passports for other people.

Ms. Massoud helped 30 families commit residency fraud, creating the fictitious appearance of a Canadian residence for immigrants with Canadian permanent resident status, for the purpose of maintaining that status and obtaining Canadian citizenship.

Mr. Jacobson, a former immigration representative with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC), and Mr. Schmidt allegedly developed false businesses and fraudulently submitted documents in order to lure foreign workers to Canada. As a result, the CBSA suspects more than 300 foreign nationals were victims of this crime.

The CBSA Criminal Investigations Division launched an official investigation in February 2012 after receiving a complaint of immigration fraud. The CBSA executed a search warrant on June 14, 2012, at the residences of the accused, where further evidence was seized.

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney appreciated the CDSA and said in a statement, “The CBSA is to be congratulated for its ongoing efforts to investigate immigration fraud cases such as this one. Canada has the world’s most generous immigration system, but our generosity does not extend to fraudsters who intend to take advantage of our country. That is why our government is committed to catching and punishing fraudulent immigration consultants.”

Tags: Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, Canada immigration, Canada permanent residence, Canadian Citizenship, CBSA, ICCRC, Immigration, Immigration Consultant of Canada Regulatory Council, immigration fraud, Permanent Residence