RCMP Lays Fraud Charges in Real Estate Scam

OTTAWA, March 27, 2018 /CNW/ - The National Division RCMP Sensitive and International Investigative Section has arrested and charged two Mississauga, Ontario residents, 71-year-old Wajid Ali Khan and 48-year-old Nadeem Imtiaz Ahmed, with false pretense and fraud. Exact charges are as follows:

Khan is charged with:

• three counts of False Pretence (Section 362 CC)
• three counts of Fraud (Section 380 CC)
• one count of uttering a forged document (Section 368 CC)

Ahmed is charged with:

• two counts of False Pretence (Section 362 CC)
• two counts of Fraud (Section 380 CC)
• one count of uttering a forged document (Section 368 CC)

Several offences were investigated in this case. As with any financial crime investigation, additional charges may be laid if more victims come forward.

This investigation, known as Project Alcazar and led by RCMP National Division's Sensitive and International Investigations Section, began in January 2015 when victims alleged that Khan and Ahmed had defrauded them of money. The RCMP believes the two men fraudulently borrowed more than $1.1 million from their personal contacts in Canada, telling their victims they were using the money to purchase investment properties on their behalf in Pakistan.

March is Fraud Prevention Month and the RCMP would like to remind Canadians to educate themselves about various types of frauds so they can avoid becoming victims. "Recognizing a scam prevents it from happening," said Superintendent Denis Desnoyers, Officer in Charge of RCMP National Division Criminal Operations. "Swindlers claim affiliation with reliable sources, provide believable answers to tough questions and hide the truth in the fine print. Protect yourself with the facts and be skeptical whenever a deal seems too good to be true."  

National Division's Sensitive and International Investigations Section focuses on criminal activity that poses a threat to Canada's government institutions, public officials, the integrity of the Crown, or that imperils Canada's political, economic and social integrity. This work is carried out through close collaboration and strategic intelligence sharing within the organization and with the RCMP's national and international partners.

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police