Investigation reveals illegal practices, including issuing fake job offers, forged documents, and failing to submit required paperwork to government
A woman from Ontario has been convicted of defrauding aspiring immigrants of tens of thousands of dollars.
Maneet “Mani” Malhotra, who owns NAMI Immigration Inc., pleaded guilty to one count under section 91 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), which criminalizes the illegal provision of immigration advice for a fee.
After an investigation conducted by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), a court in Edmonton convicted Malhotra, ordering her to pay $148,000 in victim restitution.
She also received an 18-month conditional sentence, including six months of house arrest.
Investigation finds immigration fraud
The CBSA started investigating Malhotra and her business in 2019 after a referral from the government of Alberta’s Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office.
The investigation found that two clients paid Malhotra $30,000 and $45,000 so they could find employment in Alberta. But instead of landing jobs, Malhotra’s clients were duped into a scheme that required them to pay for fraudulent pay stubs, the CBSA said.
The investigation also revealed illegal practices, including issuing fake job offers, forging documents, and failing to submit the required paperwork to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Malhotra’s business also did not have a registered immigration consultant and a practicing lawyer, hence not meeting the IRPA’s criteria.
The CBSA executed a search warrant at NAMI Immigration’s offices in late 2019, discovering forged immigration documents and additional client information. She was charged with immigration fraud in April and later arrested in Mississauga, Ont.
Protecting Canada’s borders
The agency is “committed” to investigating and prosecuting individuals abusing Canada’s immigration system, said Janalee Bell-Boychuk, regional director general for the Prairie Region at the CBSA.
“By dismantling fraudulent immigration schemes, we are protecting the integrity of Canada’s borders and safeguarding potential immigrants from exploitation,” Bell-Boychuk said in a statement.
Under Section 921 of the IRPA, only authorized individuals can charge fees for those seeking immigration advise.
The CBSA emphasized its critical role in ensuring the integrity of Canada’s immigration system and holding fraudulent individuals accountable.
The public is encouraged to report suspicious immigration activities to the agency by calling its hotline at +1-888-502-9060.
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