Fake Immigration Consultant Charged With Fraud After Swindling Refugees

A man was summoned to appear in the Montréal courthouse today after being charged on December 5, 2019, with acting as an immigration consultant without being authorized and encouraging individuals to misrepresent material facts on the immigration applications they submitted to Canadian officials.

François Teasdale is facing two charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Based on a Canada Border Services Agency investigation, he is alleged to have provided immigration advice for compensation, when he was not authorized to do so, between August 19, 2015, and November 16, 2017. During the same period, he is also alleged to have knowingly counselled, induced or abetted individuals to make misrepresentations to the Immigration and Refugee Board’s Refugee Protection Division.

In Canada, any person providing immigration advice, counselling, assistance or representation is subject to the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council and must be certified by the Council in order to perform their duties.