RCMP LAY FURTHER CHARGES AGAINST WINDSOR IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT

WINDSOR, ON, Oct. 28 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Windsor have laid an additional 15 charges of fraud over $5000.00 against a Windsor area immigration consultant Francesco Salvatore "Sam" Burgio, age 45.

Burgio was originally charged by the RCMP in April 2010 with various fraud related offences, since then new victims have come forward which has lead to these new charges. Investigators have indicated that the number of victims have now reached 25 resulting in 28 charges overall involving frauds of over one million dollars.

The investigation was conducted with the assistance of Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Victims have alleged that the firm of Burgio and Associates agreed to submit, on their behalf, applications and accompanying application fees to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in the hope of gaining status in Canada. The victims further alleged that they were led to believe that their applications had been submitted and were active in the immigration system, only to discover over the course of time that no such applications were submitted on their behalf.

Immigration consultants are professional persons who, for a fee, advise, consult, assist or represent persons with their application process to Citizenship and Immigration Canada. They are regulated by the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) and must be members of CSIC to practice in Canada. Burgio's membership to the Society was revoked on May 5th, 2006.

"We congratulate the RCMP and CIC for their hard work on this file," said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. "The Government of Canada remains committed to cracking down on crooked immigration consultants."

For further information:

Windsor RCMP Detachment
Cpl. Earle BAILEY
[phone] ext. 240