Immigration fraud probers raid home, office of Fil-Canadian ex-legislator

Advertising signage for Carl Benito’s immigration counseling service. CBC NEWS

EDMONTON, Alberta – Canada’s immigration authorities raided the home and office of former Alberta Progressive Conservative Member of the Legislative Assembly Carl Benito, a Filipino Canadian, on suspicion of immigration fraud schemes.

The Canada Border Services Agency on Thursday, August 16, seized more than $250,000 in cash, mostly in bundles of $100 bills in the raid.

Benito allegedly counseled dozens of Filipino immigrants on how to fraudulently extend their stay in Alberta through bogus applications for study and devious work-extension permits, according to an exclusive report by CBC News.

Benito, an immigration counselor, allegedly also illegally employed at least one and possibly several fellow Filipino immigrants since Sept. 16, 2016. Border Services officials believe he has been conducting fraudulent immigration schemes since Nov. 11, 2015.

Charges have yet to be filed against Benito and none of the allegations in the documents have been proven in court.

The CBSA, Public Prosecution Service, and Benito refused to comment on the case. The fate of clients who participated in the alleged scheme is not known.