A former employee of the Government of Saskatchewan is facing charges after allegedly laundering the proceeds of crime and obtaining more than $650,000 from participants in the province’s immigrant nominee program.
According to the RCMP, Tony Dou, a resident of Saskatoon, is facing charges including fraud over $5,000, breach of trust by a public officer, possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000 and money laundering.
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“Between April 2015 and July 2022, the accused is alleged to have fraudulently altered documents and procedures, accessed government databases for unauthorized purposes, engaged in conflicts of interest, and obtained over $650,000 from participants of the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) and laundering the proceeds of criminal activity while working as a full-time SINP employee,” the Saskatchewan RCMP said in a statement issued on Thursday.
In an email statement from Deputy Minister of Immigration and Career Training Drew Wilby, said “We cannot comment on the specifics of this investigation, through a dedicated compliance team and through partnership with other enforcement agencies we are actively working to deter and eliminate all fraud and misuse of immigration programs and exploitation of foreign workers.”
“Last year,the Immigration Services Act came into effect, creating the most robust program integrity framework for immigration in Canada. This legislation provides more protections for newcomers to Canada and allows the province to issue stronger penalties against those who commit fraud and misuse the immigration system.”
The Mounties said Dou was arrested and charged on Monday, following “an extensive investigation and in consultation with Crown Prosecution.”
He’s scheduled to appear in a Saskatoon courtroom on May 20.
“Breach of trust investigations allege violations of confidence and integrity, which are fundamental pillars of public office,” RCMP Superintendent Andrew Farquhar said in the statement.
“The RCMP investigates such assertions thoroughly to uphold accountability and protect the public interest.”