Sask. immigration employee accused of taking bribes, laundering proceeds of fraud
Tony Dou allegedly took $650K from Sask. Immigrant Nominee Program participants, RCMP say
An employee with the Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program is accused of using his job to enrich himself and launder the proceeds of financial fraud, RCMP say.
Saskatoon resident Tony Dou is charged with several financial crimes in connection with his full-time employment with the provincial government's nominee program, which connects foreign workers with local businesses looking to fill jobs.
The RCMP's federal serious and organized crime unit charged Dou on April 29 and arrested him on May 5.
An RCMP news release said from April 2015 to July 2022, Dou participated in fraud, theft and money laundering while he was a government employee.
Dou allegedly took more than $650,000 from nominee program participants. RCMP did not clarify whether that includes both foreign workers and Saskatchewan businesses.
RCMP also allege he altered documents, accessed government databases without authorization, and laundered the proceeds of criminal activity.
"Breach of trust investigations allege violations of confidence and integrity, which are fundamental pillars of public office," Saskatchewan RCMP Supt. Andrew Farquhar said in a statement.
Dou is charged with:
- Fraud over $5,000.
- Money laundering.
- Accepting a benefit as a government official.
- Breach of trust by a public officer.
- Possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.
He's set to appear in Saskatoon provincial court on May 20.
The province recently rebooted its nominee program with stricter criteria after a five-week pause in applications that started when Ottawa slashed the number of available spots for foreign workers in the province.
Under the Saskatchewan program, employers are allowed to hire foreign nationals if they're able to prove they can't find anyone else in the province to fill a position.
Once a business is qualified, they are provided with a job approval form allowing them to hire a foreign national under the program.
That person must then work full time for that employer for at least six months to qualify for the program and stay in the country.
More than 90 per cent of the province's economic immigration happens through the Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program, according to the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training.
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