A Haitian involved in a fraud claim refugee protection in Canada

Marie-Eve Dumont

Friday, 16 February 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Friday, 16 February 2018 01:00

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A man involved in a scheme of embezzlement of $ 1.7 million to the canadian embassy in Haiti could be deported, although he had promised to protect in exchange for his cooperation.

The man they could not identify by reason of an order of non-publication was an employee of the canadian embassy in Haiti, and has received money in the framework of the scheme.

He collaborated to the survey conducted by Business world in Canada and would have to promise that his safety would be assured. Fearing for his life after receiving threats, the ex-employee has made an application for refugee status in Canada, what the authorities want to deny him because of his participation in the criminal organisation.

An investigator of world Affairs Canada has explained yesterday before the Commission of the immigration and refugee board that the amount of$ 1.7 Million would have been stolen in Canada between 2003 and 2016 by more than a dozen employees.

False invoices

Of false invoices or invoices with inflated alleged to have been made especially for repairs of cars or generators. A vehicle would have cost him only 92 000 $ in repair.

One of the employees was also secretly the owner of a company harvesting contracts of the embassy at inflated prices or producing invoices.

Another worker would have imported personal property in the name of the embassy to avoid charges of transport and customs.

These employees, all Haitians, were laid off in the wake of this light, except one who left before the end of the survey, conducted by global Business Canada. It is an administrative investigation : no criminal charges been filed against these people.

“Deplorable “

“I fear for my life, I have received threats in my country. They [the investigators] said they would ensure my safety, to encourage me to speak. I was afraid to do it and now they give me a reason, ” said the man with the Newspaper in the margin of his hearing.

The latter supports they received two amounts totalling $ 1400 $.

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Stéphane Handfield
Lawyer

“It is undesirable : an individual is cooperating fully with an investigation, he is threatened as a result of this collaboration and he is coming to Canada to seek protection ; finally, we see that not only it is not protected, but is accused of being part of a criminal organisation “, adds Stéphane Handfield, a lawyer of the ex-employee.