International Law

Ghost consultant sentenced

By immlawyer

Baldev Pandher received an eighteen month sentence for submitting false/fraudulent documents to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Additional details at CSIC website here.

Pandher submitted fraudulent documents in support of his clients' application for sponsorship. These documents included Notices of Assessment and tax returns, presumably to meet LICO.

Through his business, Canada Immigration Consultants located in Mississauga, Pandher did 'immigration consulting' and appears to have charged exorbitant amounts of funds -  in excess of $9,000 for one family class sponsorship application, and $8,000 for the other.

It appears that the Crown would have been seeking incarceration but for Pandher's serious heart condition.

In a blunt decision, the sentencing judge found that people like Baldev Pandher gave immigration consultants "such a bad name" and are the reason why immigration consultants "are held in low regard and with such great suspicion". The Judge also stated that Pandher should be incarcerated, but given the medical condition and the joint submission, he allowed a sentence to be served in the community.

Full post as published by Canadian Immigration Blawg on June 12, 2009 (boomark / email).