Following an investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Regina resident Abdulkader Ali pleaded guilty to two charges related to the falsification of immigration documents in Saskatchewan Provincial Court on February 17. Mr. Ali was sentenced to two years probation, 200 hours of community service and a fine of $75,000.

The investigation began in February 2019, after Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) received a complaint from a Regina-based group called Justice Seeks. The complaint alleged that Abdulkader Ali, a refugee field worker with a local sponsorship organization, had used his position for personal gain by accepting money from refugees in exchange for promises to fast-track their immigration applications. IRCC referred this complaint to the CBSA, which launched an investigation into the allegations. 

As part of the investigation, CBSA officers executed a search warrant at Mr. Ali’s residence where several electronic devices were seized as evidence. The investigation revealed that Mr. Ali had submitted at least 31 falsified immigration applications to IRCC.