VALLEYFIELD, QUE. - Five people are facing charges after a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) investigation into an alleged immigration fraud scheme involving 243 temporary resident visa applications.
Four of the accused appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse on October 22, 2026: Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam. The fifth accused, Md Rakibul Hassan, is reported to be in Bangladesh, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
The case began on July 3, 2024, when the CBSA carried out a compliance and control check on the occupants of a private residence in Mercier, working with the town’s police and fire departments. Officers found signs of non-compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), and a criminal investigation began in August 2024.
According to the CBSA, investigators identified 209 Bangladeshi nationals for whom 243 temporary resident visa (TRV) applications had been submitted, to visit Canadian citizens presented as their hosts. The agency alleges the scheme used fraudulent documents and false statements to obtain the visas.
On June 3, 2025, the CBSA executed four search warrants in Quebec and Ontario. The evidence pointed to five individuals. Given the scale of the scheme, investigators focused on the 79 most probative TRV applications.
The five face three charges: conspiracy to organize or facilitate the coming into Canada of one or more persons, contrary to subsection 117(1) of the IRPA; knowingly inducing, aiding or abetting persons to misrepresent or hide material facts relating to immigration applications, contrary to section 126 of the IRPA; and knowingly inducing, aiding or abetting persons to contravene the IRPA, contrary to section 131.
“Canada’s immigration system is built on integrity, fairness and respect for the law,” said Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. “Those who seek to exploit or undermine our system for fraudulent purposes face serious consequences.”
The CBSA says the charges are subject to validation by the court. The allegations have not been proven in court.
Anyone with information about immigration fraud can report it to the CBSA Border Watch line at 1-888-502-9060.
Source: Canada Border Services Agency news release, October 22, 2026
