An Ontario man has received a one-year conditional sentence and a $115,673 fine after pleading guilty to submitting fraudulent applications for child tax benefits.
According to a release from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Edwin Omorogieva Woghiren of Hamilton, Ont., pleaded guilty in an Ontario court of justice to creating and submitting false Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) applications on behalf of himself and his spouse.
According to court records, from May 20, 2011, to February 20, 2013, Woghiren submitted a total of $231,345 in false CCTB claims and received a total of $137,887 before the CRA launched an investigation that uncovered falsified birth certificates and school, medical and landlord records.
The children Woghiren claimed to have were either nonexistent or never entered Canada, the release said.