5 arrested for immigration scam using Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Five people in the Torontoarea have been arrested for an alleged scam in Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

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A year-long investigation, dubbed O-Nanny, began after the RCMP found that individuals at Platinum Care, a foreign worker recruitment and placement agency, were using falsified documents to create employment offers for foreign workers.

The accused were said to steal personal identification information from Canadians and use that information to create fictitious employment offers to foreign workers, allowing them into the country under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Since 2002, the program allows low-skill workers to fill jobs in Canada with offers of employment.

It is alleged that the accused are responsible for bringing 53 people into Canada under fraudulent means.

The investigation included information from Employment and Social Development Canada, the National Job Bank for Employers and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

The five people are charged with numerous counts of identity theft, forgery and uttering forged documents. They are:

• Rosanna Lim, 51, the CEO of Platinum Care
• Leahnette Acuna, 50
• Shannon Lim, 25
• Normita Mandoza, 58
• Fazeina Sarlat, 52

All five are scheduled to appear in court on Aug.6.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, local police or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.