In today’s world, there are many reasons in which one would commit identity theft. It might be for the Permanent Resident plastic identity card that so many immigrants in this country value, but I believe it goes deeper than that. To open up bank accounts for shady schemes for who knows what kind of operation. Today there are a million and one ways to make money, as for in the ’50’s and ’60’s you were better off getting a gun and pointing it at a bank clerk, like so many had done in Eastern Canada such as Edwin Alonzo Boyd and Stephen Reid. There’s no denying we live in a new world. With plenty of ways to make money. All you need is an ID, and it doesn’t have to be your own.
Numerous search warrants were executed in efforts of this operation; more than 20 along with 80 production orders to investigate. The Toronto Police Service’s Financial Crimes Units launched this operation in October of 2022, but were investigating instances of financial fraud leading all the way back to 2016. Which means this whole fraud operation has taken place for a minimum of 8 years, possibly longer. 102 charges where laid Monday (29/04/2024).
This is not a casual story of gangsterism mixed with drug trafficking and shootings, but definitely one that has a paper trail. It is not a victimless crime, although the only victims are financial institutions preying on everyday civilians. But it is a crime to the authorities eye’s nonetheless. Most of the perpetrators arrested in this scheme are from Indian or Arabic decent, aged 26 to 60 years old.
The Toronto Police Service would have ended this investigation if they had not had a ton of help with other groups such as the Halton Regional Police Service, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the Financial Transactions & Report Analysis Centre of Canada, also known as the FINTRAC, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, the Ontario Ministry of Finance, Service Canada as well as the Peel and Waterloo Regional Police Services.
Operation Deja Vu was initiated after a similar identity-theft fraud operation named Operation Mouse in 2014, a fraud scheme that cost Canada nearly a billion with the main accent being on fraudulent driver’s licenses circulating throughout Ontario. Although Project Deja Vu resulted in less monetary loses than Project Mouse, it still resulted in nearly 4 million dollars being frauded.
Most of Operation Deja Vu thefts resulted in the owners and suspects of the fake ID’s applying for credit cards at banks, then maxing them out to their limits, without repaying the banks. 300,000$ was seized as well as multiple credit and debit cards. In total, 680 synthetic IDs were produced throughout the years, which resulted in 12 individuals being arrested as part of the police operation.
Authorities are seeking supplementary information from financial institutions and business’s that dealt with the following suspects. They are also seeking information with anyone who had done business with one of the 12 that had been arrested
Among the 12 arrested were;
Ali Sana, 26, from Brampton, Ontario;
Charged with;
- Five counts of fraud over 5000$.
- Forgery
- Possession of instruments for forgery.
- Two counts of possession of counterfeit markings.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Laundering proceeds of crime.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
- Deal with identity information knowing it was a fraudulent offence.
Anmol Khurana, 27, from Markham, Ontario;
- Fraud over 5000$
- Obtain credit by false pretences.
- Cause another person to act on forged documents.
Mueed Tanveer, 27, from Brampton, Ontario;
- 3 counts of fraud over 5000$.
- Laundering proceeds of crime.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
- Trafficking in identity information.
Hasnain Akram, 28, from Brampton, Ontario;
- 16 counts of fraud over 5000$.
- Forgery
- Possession of instruments used for fraud.
- Two counts of possession of counterfeit markings.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
Fahad Ben Mofeez, 30, from Brampton, Ontario;
- Seven counts of fraud over 5000$.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
Muhammad Hamza Baig, 31, from Ayr, Ontario;
- Fraud over 5000$.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
- Obstruction of a peace officer.
- Utter forged document.
Muhammad Usman Saif, 32, from Brampton, Ontario;
- 7 counts of fraud over 5000$.
- 3 counts of possession of counterfeit markings.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$
Zelle Ali Choudary, 34, from Brampton, Ontario;
- 6 counts of fraud over 5000$.
- Possession of counterfeit markings.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
Mian Muhammad Saud, 35, from Belle River, Ontario;
- Fraud over 5000$
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
Ranafayysal Masood Khan, 38, from Mississauga, Ontario;
- Fraud over 5000$.
- Obtaining credit by false pretences.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
Rashad Iqbal, 41, from Caledon, Ontario;
- Fraud over 5000$.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
Sibt Hussain Syed, 60, from Brampton, Ontario;
- 4 counts of fraud over 5000$.
- 2 counts of possession of counterfeit markings.
- Unauthorized possession of credit card data.
- Money laundering.
- Possession of proceeds of crime over 5000$.
Most of these twelve suspects are likely to be released out on bail after their court dates booked on numerous dates throughout the end of April and beginning of May. Judging by the Pearson heist that had occurred last week, with the incident yielding in no victims, these twelve suspects are likely to attain bail.
