By Toronto Sun | Link to Article
A 46-year-old woman who ran a recruiting agency in North York faces more than 70 fraud charges for allegedly ripping off hundreds of prospective immigrant workers to the tune of $2.3 million.
By Toronto Sun | Link to Article
A 46-year-old woman who ran a recruiting agency in North York faces more than 70 fraud charges for allegedly ripping off hundreds of prospective immigrant workers to the tune of $2.3 million.
Toronto Police launched a fraud investigation last fall into GoWest Jobs International — a recruiting agency on Finch Ave. W., east of Keele St., that primarily deals with immigrant workers.
The company allegedly recruited people from other countries for jobs in Canada, then provided applicants with “positive documents, references and employment contracts” for a fee, Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu said Tuesday.
She said investigators alleged applicants, mainly from the Philippines, submitted that paperwork from the company to a government agency in their home country, hoping to be allowed to work in Canada.
But the applicants were denied entry to Canada because the documentation was fraudulent, Sidhu said.
She said the applicants have also been banned from re-applying to work in Canada for two years.
Imelda “Mel” Fronda Saluma, the operator of GoWest Jobs, was initially arrested Feb. 4 and charged with dozens of offences, including 11 counts of fraud over $5,000. Saluma has now been slapped with dozens of additional charges, including 11 more counts of fraud over $5,000.
Police alleged 600 people were victimized.