On 3 September 2019 the Canada Border Services Agency issued a news release alleging that Mr Carlito Benito, and his son, Charles Benito:
- advised temporary workers in Canada to apply for a study permit to enable them to extend their stay in Canada even though the applicants had no intention of studying in the country, and
- arranged cash loans up to $17,000 for the bogus applicants to meet the financial requirement of the study permit application.
The alleged offending occurred between November 2015 and June 2018. During that time both men were licensed immigration consultants.
The Benitos allegedly employed foreign nationals illegally at:
- Triple Maple Leaf Canada Corp
- Helping Migrants Canadian Immigration Corp, and
- World Immigration Group Corp.
Carl Benito served as a member of Alberta’s Legislative Assembly between 2008-12, representing the electoral district of Edmonton-Mill Woods.
To carry out the alleged fraud, Carl Benito had at least 79 of his clients seek study permits to attend one of two small Edmonton Colleges –Academy of Learning or Makami College.
MaKami College is a provincially credited private college in Alberta that trains students to become licensed massage therapists. It was established in Edmonton, Alberta in 2001.
The Academy of Learning was established in 1987 and provides skills-training to domestic and international students in the areas of Business, Technology, Healthcare, Hospitality, and Legal.
Both men face a range of criminal charges arising from the alleged conduct. Carl Benito’s charge sheet includes one count – representing ’90 instances’- of Counselling/Aiding/Abetting Misrepresentation related to study permit loan scheme under section 126 IRPA.
The Benitos appeared before Edmonton Provincial Court on 5 September, and the matter was adjourned until 4 October 2019.
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