Canadian national arrested for alleged immigration fraud totaling nearly $67K

By Ngoc Tai, Phuoc Thanh November 17, 2024 | 04:23 am PT

A Vietnamese-Canadian and his accomplice have been apprehended for allegedly attempting to defraud a family of VND1.7 billion (US$66,956) by promising assistance with Canadian immigration procedures.

Tang Ha Quoc Huy (L) and Pham Hai Duc at the investigation agency. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Thanh

Tang Ha Quoc Huy (L) and Pham Hai Duc at a police station. Photo by VnExpress/Phuoc Thanh

Tang Ha Quoc Huy, 36, the Canadian national, and Pham Hai Duc, 34, was detained by police in Dong Thap Province in southern Vietnam on Sunday to investigate their involvement in the scam.

According to police reports, Huy and Duc connected with a 40-year-old woman from Dong Thap through social media. Facing financial challenges, they offered to manage her family’s immigration to Canada. The woman, believing in Huy due to his status as a Vietnamese with Canadian citizenship, transferred approximately VND350 million to cover initial costs.

Her suspicions arose when Huy and Duc later provided a photograph of a counterfeit passport and requested an additional VND350 million. Realizing that a passport was issued without her presence, the woman reported to the authorities, leading to Huy and Duc’s arrest as they were accepting the second payment.

During the interrogation, Huy admitted to having Canadian citizenship but had been living in Vietnam jobless for the past four years. He said the fraudulent scheme was devised with Duc to tackle his financial woes.