An Ontario woman working in Edmonton as a fake immigration consultant has been convicted of defrauding newcomers of tens of thousands of dollars.
On April 8, 2024, Maneet ‘Mani’ Malhotra, a resident of Ontario, pleaded guilty in an Edmonton courtroom to charging for immigration services without the legal authorization to do so. Malhotra was handed an 18-month conditional sentence, including six months of house arrest, and was ordered to pay $148,000 in victim restitution.
In 2019, the CBSA began its investigation into Malhotra and her Edmonton-based business, NAMI Immigration Inc., after a referral from the Government of Alberta’s Temporary Foreign Worker Advisory Office. It was determined that two clients paid Malhotra $30,000 and $45,000 to arrange employment in Alberta. Instead of receiving jobs, they were forced into a scheme where they were required to pay for fraudulent pay stubs.
During the investigation, the CBSA discovered more incidents where Malhotra charged for immigration services that included fake job offers and forged documents. In addition, Malhotra did not submit the required official paperwork to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). It was determined that Malhotra did not meet the requirements of IRPA to provide immigration-related services as she was not a registered immigration consultant or a practicing lawyer.
On December 17, 2019, the CBSA executed a search warrant at the offices of NAMI Immigration and found fraudulent immigration-related documents as well as additional client information. On April 21, 2023, charges were laid against Malhotra and on May 1, 2023, the CBSA arrested Malhotra at her residence in Mississauga, Ontario.
“The Canada Border Services Agency is committed to investigating and pursuing the prosecution of individuals who abuse Canada’s immigration system. By dismantling fraudulent immigration schemes, we are protecting the integrity of Canada’s borders and safeguarding potential immigrants from exploitation,” said Janalee Bell-Boychuk, CBSA.
