CBSA Charges Two in Ontario Fraud Case Targeting International Students

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 8, 2026

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Two people in Ontario have been charged in an alleged fraud scheme targeting international students, after an investigation found that victims were promised tuition payments and registration documents but were never enrolled in the academic programs they were told they had joined.

According to an official statement issued by the Canada Border Services Agency on July 7, 2026, from London, Ontario, the financial losses linked to the alleged scheme are estimated at about $126,000. The agency said the accused received money from international students on the understanding that it would be used to pay tuition fees.

The CBSA said the investigation began in February 2025, after its Intelligence and Enforcement Operations Division received information from Lambton College. Investigators later interviewed victims, executed two search warrants at the accused individuals’ residences and businesses, and seized evidence from electronic devices. Additional warrants were then obtained to examine the digital data extracted from those devices.

According to the agency, each accused was charged on June 2, 2026, with four counts of fraud over $5,000, four counts of using forged documents, and four counts of counselling misrepresentation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

The CBSA said Hardik Dave of Cambridge, Ontario, is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in London on July 10, 2026. The agency stressed that the charges remain before the court and have not been proven. It also said Jainishkumar Patel, 35, of London, Ontario, is believed to have left Canada and is wanted on a warrant.

The case brings renewed attention to the vulnerability of some international students when dealing with unlicensed intermediaries or undocumented promises related to tuition payments and college admission, especially when studying in Canada is closely tied to immigration procedures, permits, and official documents.

Canadian authorities regularly warn students and newcomers against dealing with anyone who asks for large payments in exchange for unclear guarantees, or who provides admission and registration documents that cannot be verified directly with the educational institution. The CBSA also encouraged anyone with information about suspicious border or immigration-related activity to contact its Border Watch line.