Canada Charges Five in Widespread Identity Fraud and Document Forgery Case
| 2025-02-04
Five people face charges in Alberta after a large-scale investigation uncovered identity fraud, forged documents, and cross-border financial crimes.
Five people face charges in Alberta after a large-scale investigation uncovered identity fraud, forged documents, and cross-border financial crimes.
Canadian police have charged five individuals in connection with a series of identity-related frauds following a long-running investigation that uncovered hundreds of forged documents and elaborate financial schemes.
The investigation was launched by the Lethbridge Police Service’s Crime Suppression Team and Property Crimes Unit in autumn 2023, following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the city’s north. Authorities seized a significant quantity of counterfeit identification documents, as well as equipment used to produce fake IDs.
Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that many of the fraudulent documents matched the identities of victims from several Canadian provinces. According to police, members of the group used the stolen identities to open bank accounts, apply for loans, and obtain credit cards at financial institutions throughout southern Alberta.
Luxury Vehicles and Expanded Criminal Reach
In addition to financial fraud, investigators allege the accused used falsified identities to purchase and register multiple luxury vehicles, including two Land Rovers and a Mercedes-Benz. The vehicles, seized in Calgary, were allegedly re-vinned—a process where the original vehicle identification number is altered to mask the vehicle’s history.
Further searches were conducted at residences in Calgary and Edmonton, resulting in the seizure of additional forged IDs and fraudulent financial documentation.
The criminal activity is believed to extend beyond Alberta. Investigators uncovered evidence of related schemes in other jurisdictions, including Ontario, where victims were allegedly defrauded through a variation of the so-called “grandparent scam”—a con in which fraudsters pose as relatives in urgent need of money.
Coordination Across Agencies
The investigation was supported by multiple law enforcement bodies, including the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, and Halton Regional Police Service in Ontario. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which monitors and analyses financial data to detect criminal activity, also played a key role in the inquiry.
The following individuals have been formally charged:
Mutwokal Agustino Akorkwag, 27, and Tagjok Agustino Akorkwag, 23, both of Lethbridge, each face charges including possession of forged credit cards, making or possessing identity documents, and possession of forged documents.
Angok Malwal, 19, and Chol Deng-Ngong, 25, also of Lethbridge, face similar charges, though Malwal is not charged with possession of forged documents.
An 18-year-old female from Edmonton, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offences and therefore cannot be publicly identified under Canadian law, is charged with possession of stolen credit cards and falsified identity documents.
All five accused have made their initial court appearances and remain in various stages of the judicial process.
Context
Cases involving forged identity documents have become increasingly complex with the rise of digital banking and remote financial services. Authorities in Canada have reported growing use of synthetic identities—blending real and fake information—to perpetrate financial fraud.
FINTRAC has warned financial institutions to strengthen customer verification protocols and monitor suspicious activity, particularly in light of trans-provincial and international scams.
This investigation reflects broader efforts by Canadian authorities to disrupt sophisticated fraud networks that exploit vulnerabilities in identity verification and financial regulation.
The investigation was launched by the Lethbridge Police Service’s Crime Suppression Team and Property Crimes Unit in autumn 2023, following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in the city’s north. Authorities seized a significant quantity of counterfeit identification documents, as well as equipment used to produce fake IDs.
Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that many of the fraudulent documents matched the identities of victims from several Canadian provinces. According to police, members of the group used the stolen identities to open bank accounts, apply for loans, and obtain credit cards at financial institutions throughout southern Alberta.
Luxury Vehicles and Expanded Criminal Reach
In addition to financial fraud, investigators allege the accused used falsified identities to purchase and register multiple luxury vehicles, including two Land Rovers and a Mercedes-Benz. The vehicles, seized in Calgary, were allegedly re-vinned—a process where the original vehicle identification number is altered to mask the vehicle’s history.
Further searches were conducted at residences in Calgary and Edmonton, resulting in the seizure of additional forged IDs and fraudulent financial documentation.
The criminal activity is believed to extend beyond Alberta. Investigators uncovered evidence of related schemes in other jurisdictions, including Ontario, where victims were allegedly defrauded through a variation of the so-called “grandparent scam”—a con in which fraudsters pose as relatives in urgent need of money.
Coordination Across Agencies
The investigation was supported by multiple law enforcement bodies, including the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, and Halton Regional Police Service in Ontario. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which monitors and analyses financial data to detect criminal activity, also played a key role in the inquiry.
The following individuals have been formally charged:
Mutwokal Agustino Akorkwag, 27, and Tagjok Agustino Akorkwag, 23, both of Lethbridge, each face charges including possession of forged credit cards, making or possessing identity documents, and possession of forged documents.
Angok Malwal, 19, and Chol Deng-Ngong, 25, also of Lethbridge, face similar charges, though Malwal is not charged with possession of forged documents.
An 18-year-old female from Edmonton, who was 17 at the time of the alleged offences and therefore cannot be publicly identified under Canadian law, is charged with possession of stolen credit cards and falsified identity documents.
All five accused have made their initial court appearances and remain in various stages of the judicial process.
Context
Cases involving forged identity documents have become increasingly complex with the rise of digital banking and remote financial services. Authorities in Canada have reported growing use of synthetic identities—blending real and fake information—to perpetrate financial fraud.
FINTRAC has warned financial institutions to strengthen customer verification protocols and monitor suspicious activity, particularly in light of trans-provincial and international scams.
This investigation reflects broader efforts by Canadian authorities to disrupt sophisticated fraud networks that exploit vulnerabilities in identity verification and financial regulation.
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