A Nigerian man, Chinenye Alozie, was sentenced to two years house arrest by a Provincial Court in Winnipeg, Canada, for forging bank records and other documents to assist would-be immigrants in entering the country safely.
The 35-year-old restaurateur and father of four pleaded guilty to violating the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act by acting as an unauthorized immigration consultant and misrepresenting or withholding facts in immigration applications.
According to Canada Today, the court heard the crimes related to Alozie’s dealings with more than 60 foreigners, the majority of whom were students, between 2014 and 2019.
In late 2018, the Canadian Border Services Agency became aware of him after reports that he had advertised his services to international students online.
At a hearing on Tuesday, Matthew Sinclair informed Judge Stacy Cawley that Alozie is not a licensed immigration consultant or attorney.
“He is not authorized to represent people in their applications,” he stated.
A review of Alozie’s bank records revealed deposits of $90,000 in 2016 and $120,000 in 2017 from people suspected to be foreigners, according to Sinclair. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada discovered 52 deposits from people applying to Canada as temporary students, workers, or visitors.
According to records provided to the Border Protection Agency, Alozie used his personal credit cards to pay the government fees of 61 immigration applicants between 2014 and 2018.
A search of Alozie’s home in June 2019 uncovered evidence that he assisted 20 clients in creating false bank statements for their immigration applications and “helped invent fictional storylines or personal stories to increase the likelihood that their application is approved,” according to Sinclair.
Sinclair stated that five of Alozie’s clients were allowed into Canada despite their fraudulent immigration applications.
Alozie was also ordered to pay a fine of $29,000.