TORONTO — The Canada Border Services Agency has charged five people in an alleged immigration fraud scheme that involved 243 temporary resident visa applications for 209 Bangladeshi nationals.Rashel Mirza and Mohammed Aminul Islam, both of Montréal, Md Mudassar Alam Bhuiyan of Toronto, and Md Rakibul Hassan of Bangladesh appeared at the Valleyfield courthouse on Thursday. A warrant has been issued for Hassan, who is reportedly in Bangladesh. CBSA said a fifth unnamed accomplice is also facing charges.The investigation began after a July 3, 2024 compliance check at a private residence in Mercier, Quebec, involving CBSA officers and local police and fire officials. Formal work started in August 2024. On June 3, 2025, investigators executed four search warrants at locations in Quebec and Ontario, seizing documents and computer equipment.CBSA said an elaborate scheme used fraudulent documents and false statements to help the applicants obtain temporary resident visas, with Canadian citizens listed as hosts. Given the scale, investigators focused on the 79 applications with the strongest evidence..The accused face three charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act: conspiracy to organize or facilitate the entry of one or more persons into Canada, contrary to subsection 117(1); knowingly inducing, aiding or abetting misrepresentation or concealment of material facts in immigration applications, contrary to section 126; and knowingly inducing, aiding or abetting violations of the Act, contrary to section 131. The charges are before the courts.The case includes a clear Ontario connection through the Toronto resident and the search warrants executed in the province. No public details have been released on the specific nature of the fraudulent documents, the status of the individual visa applications, or any related costs to the immigration system.Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said those who seek to exploit the system for fraudulent purposes face serious consequences. CBSA Quebec Region director general Eric Lapierre described the investigation as part of efforts to disrupt networks taking advantage of immigration programs.In 2025 the CBSA opened 191 criminal investigations into suspected offences under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. It opened another 55 such investigations between January 1 and June 30, 2026.The charges come months after a separate CBSA case in which Abul Kasim of Montréal was charged in August 2026 in connection with another alleged Bangladeshi temporary resident visa scheme involving false documents and fraudulent host letters. He is also believed to be abroad with a warrant outstanding. No evidence has been released linking the two investigations.
