RCMP Charge Hamilton Man with Uttering Forged Documents

HAMILTON, ON, Nov. 16 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Hamilton Niagara Commercial Crime Section have charged a Hamilton man for his role in what they allege is an elaborate scheme involving the distribution of fraudulent invoices and counterfeit cheques.

During the course of the investigation, the RCMP identified sixty-eight (68) potential victims worldwide that received over $4.2 million dollars in counterfeit cheques shipped from various parcel services throughout the Greater Hamilton Area from January 2009 to date.

Godwin Chukwuka USIFO, 47, has been charged with eleven (11) counts of Uttering a Forged Document, contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada.  Police allege that USIFO used multiple parcel delivery service to ship documents and provided false information to the parcel delivery service's management.  The scheme was uncovered when a recipient of one of these forged documents in the United States contacted the Mounties to report the suspicious invoice and cheque that was sent from the Hamilton area.

"It took several months to piece together the evidence in this investigation," stated Corporal Dave BINKLEY, the lead investigator on the file.  "It is the latest version of an old scam".

USIFO's first appearance is scheduled for Thursday, November 18, 2010, 9:00 a.m. at the John Sopinka Court House, Hamilton, Ontario.

The Hamilton Niagara Regional Detachment Commercial Crime Section is mandated with reducing, controlling and preventing business-related or white-collar crimes. These may include fraud, false pretenses, and other fraudulent offences, offences against the Government of Canada, the corruption of public officials, the insolvency process, and counterfeiting.

For further information:

Sgt. Cathy McCrory
RCMP Hamilton Niagara Regional Detachment
Commercial Crime Section
Phone: [phone]