Charges Laid in Immigration Sponsorship Fraud

Region of Peel – Investigators from the Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau have charged a woman from the City of Mississauga in relation to an immigration scam targeting victims from the Middle East, particularly Afghanistan.

Over the past two years, several victims have reported to police that they paid large sums of money to the Afghan Refugee Relief (ARR) organization to assist in sponsoring family members wishing to immigrate to Canada from Afghanistan.  The accused, posing as head of the ARR, accepted money but never processed the paperwork through the Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada.  After a significant delay and once the victims learned that their paperwork was never processed, the accused refused to reimburse the funds paid for the service.

Investigators estimate that the total amount defrauded from the victims to this point is approximately $40,000.

Sakia MOJADIDDI, a61 year-old female from Mississauga, was arrested and charged with three counts of Fraud Over Five Thousand Dollars and three counts of Possession of Proceeds Obtained by Crime.  Ms. MOJADIDDI was released on a Promise to Appear and Undertaking and appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton on August 28, 2017.

Investigators believe that there may be further victims who have had contact with Sakia MOJADIDDI and/or the Afghan Refugee Relief organization.  They are requesting that anyone who has lost money to the organization or the accused contact the Peel Regional Police Fraud Bureau at (905) 453-2121, ext. 3356.

Information can also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting their website at www.peelcrimestoppers.ca, or by sending a text message to CRIMES (274637) with the word “Peel” and then your tip.

For media inquiries, please contact the on-duty Media Relations Officer at (905) 453-2121, ext. 4027.  

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Inc: PR170192436

N/R – 17-380

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