The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that on May 28, 2015, Wei Ren, also known as Christine Molson of North York, was sentenced to two years less one day for counselling misrepresentation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). Ren was sentenced to imprisonment to be served in accordance with the terms of a conditional sentence order, with 12 months under complete house arrest.
On December 2, 2014, Ren appeared before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on an indictment charging her with 21 counts of counselling misrepresentation, contrary to section 126 of the IRPA and pleaded guilty to five counts and formally admitted to the allegations in relation to the remaining 16. The offences were committed over a seven-year period, between 2005 and 2012, whereby Ren and her accomplices arranged for Canadian citizens to marry and sponsor Chinese foreign nationals by recruiting sponsors, arranging weddings and completing all applications and supporting documentation, all for a fee of $30,000 to $35,000.
Under the IRPA it is an offence for individuals to counsel, aid or abet others to commit misrepresentation such as marriage fraud. The CBSA takes all violations of Canada's immigration laws, including marriage fraud, very seriously. We encourage the public to continue reporting these types of immigration-related offences to our Border Watch Toll Free Line 1-888-502-9060.
Quick Facts
- Within the CBSA immigration enforcement mandate, investigating marriage fraud/marriages of convenience is a priority and our investigations have resulted in numerous successful prosecutions.
- During an investigation, CBSA officers conduct document checks, site visits and interviews with sponsors and applicants in order to gather the necessary evidence to substantiate an allegation of marriage fraud/marriages of convenience.
- The work is done by CBSA Inland Enforcement Officers who enforce immigration legislation away from the border, and Criminal Investigators who investigate potential violations of immigration, customs and other border-related legislation.
Quotes
“This investigation began in 2008, thanks to the vigilance of officers from our Inland Enforcement and Criminal Investigations divisions. Through their investigative work it was determined that these marriages were not genuine and the couples never intended to live together.”
- Goran Vragovic, CBSA Regional Director General, Greater Toronto Area Region
- 30 -
Contacts
CBSA Media Relations
Greater Toronto Area
905-803-2800
Follow us on Twitter (@CanBorder), join us on Facebook or visit our YouTube channel.
