Unlicensed Metro Vancouver immigration consultants faces sentencing hearing on fraud charges

BY DAN FUMANO, THE PROVINCE SEPTEMBER 15, 2015
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Richmond man Xun “Sunny” Wang appears Wednesday morning in provincial court in Vancouver, after pleading guilty in July to eight charges in connection with his unlicensed immigration consulting businesses in Metro Vancouver. Wang was the target of a two-year investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency, who alleged that roughly 165 of his clients were involved in a “significant immigration fraud -- creating the fictitious appearance of Canadian residency to maintain permanent resident status and obtain Canadian citizenship.”

Canadian investigators allege “many” people gained Canadian citizenship through altered passports and fake stamps obtained from an unlicensed Metro Vancouver immigration consultant set for a sentencing hearing Wednesday.

Richmond man Xun “Sunny” Wang appears Wednesday in provincial court in Vancouver after pleading guilty in July to eight charges, including counts of fraud and making false Chinese passports. He also pleaded guilty to failing to report $2,722,305 of taxable income from the 2007 to 2012 tax years, and evading payment of $730,837 of federal income tax.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) alleged that roughly 165 of Wang’s clients were involved in a “significant immigration fraud — creating the fictitious appearance of Canadian residency to maintainpermanent-resident status and obtain Canadian citizenship.”

The CBSA declined an interview, but warrant documents obtained by The Province provide details of their two-year probe into Wang.

A 24-page report submitted by CBSA investigators to Crown counsel alleges that Wang “systematically altered passports in support of fraudulent applications for both permanent residence card renewal and citizenship, using a variety of techniques.”

That report reads: “In many cases, clients became Canadian citizens based on those false calculations and fake stamp impressions.”

Asked how many of Wang’s clients obtained Canadian citizenship through fraudulent means and what could happen to them, Citizenship and Immigration Canada spokeswoman Sonia Lesage said: “It would be inappropriate for Citizenship and Immigration Canada to comment as this matter is still before the courts.”

Barry Cartwright, senior lecturer at Simon Fraser University’s School of Criminology, said citizenship obtained with bogus documentation could be revoked.

Cartwright, who worked for years in immigration law, said: “If it’s egregious enough, if the person knowingly had false visas in their passport to mislead people ... they should have their citizenship revoked.”

In January 2012, the Criminal Investigations Section of the CBSA began probing Wang and his two businesses, New Can Consultants (Canada) Ltd. and Wellong International Investments Ltd.

In October 2012, search warrants were executed at three locations: Wang’s residence, and offices in Richmond and Vancouver. The search resulted in the seizure of 90 boxes of evidence, 18 computers and “200 original Chinese passports, as well as copies of Chinese passports with alterations on them.”

Wang was arrested in October 2014, and in July 2015 pleaded guilty to eight charges. He has been incustody since June.

Seven other people were charged in February 2015 in connection with Wang’s unlicensed businesses, and their cases are before the courts.

Richard Kurland, a Vancouver immigration lawyer, said he will watch the outcome of Wang’s case with interest.

Based on the comprehensive, lengthy CBSA probe into Wang, his businesses and employees, Kurland said: “They have placed a serious bet that the outcome will be precedential.”