Five charged over Canada visa fraud involving 209 Bangladeshis

Five individuals have been charged over an alleged immigration fraud scheme involving 243 temporary resident visa applications for 209 Bangladeshi nationals, following an investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

Rashel Mirza, Mohammed Aminul Islam, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan and Kazi Nafeez Alam appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse on 22 October 2026. The fifth accused, Md Rakibul Hassan, is reportedly in Bangladesh, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, the CBSA said in a news release on Thursday (22 October).

The investigation began after the agency conducted a compliance and control check at a private residence in Mercier, Quebec, on 3 July 2024, in cooperation with officers and representatives of the town’s police and fire departments.

After identifying several indications of non-compliance with Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), the CBSA launched an investigation into the activities of the accused in August 2024.

Investigators identified 209 Bangladeshi nationals for whom 243 temporary resident visa applications had been submitted to visit Canadian citizens presented as hosts. They found that an elaborate scheme had allegedly been established to help the applicants obtain visas using fraudulent documents and false statements.

On 3 June, 2025, CBSA investigators executed four search warrants in Quebec and Ontario. Evidence collected, including documents and computer equipment, pointed to the involvement of five individuals in the alleged scheme.

Given the scale and complexity of the case, investigators focused on the 79 visa applications considered to contain the most probative evidence.

The accused face three charges relating to conspiracy to organise or facilitate the entry of people into Canada, knowingly assisting or encouraging misrepresentation or concealment of material facts in immigration applications, and knowingly assisting or encouraging violations of the IRPA.

The charges are subject to validation by the court.

Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said the country’s immigration system was built on integrity, fairness and respect for the law, warning that those seeking to exploit it for fraudulent purposes faced serious consequences.

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He also thanked CBSA employees for their work in protecting the security and integrity of Canada’s borders.

Eric Lapierre, regional director general of the CBSA’s Quebec Region, said the investigation demonstrated the agency’s determination to identify and disrupt networks seeking to exploit the immigration system. He praised the work of criminal investigators in maintaining public trust in immigration programmes.

The CBSA said it opened 191 criminal investigations into suspected offences under the IRPA in 2025. Between 1 January and 30 June 2026, it opened a further 55 investigations into suspected offences under the law.

The agency is responsible for identifying, investigating and pursuing the prosecution of individuals and entities linked to violations of the Customs Act and the IRPA.