Montreal man pleads guilty for claiming $144K in government benefits for 12 fake children
The Quebec Superior Court is seen in Montreal, Wednesday, March 27, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Montreal -
A Montreal man who claimed Canada child benefits for more than a decade for kids he made up pleaded guilty last weekend to making false or deceptive statements and forgery.
A CRA investigation found Guerly Estimé received approximately $144,821 between 2007 and 2018 by claiming the benefits for 12 fake children, the tax agency said in a news release.
Estimé pleaded guilty on Saturday at the Montreal courthouse and was sentenced to a two-year conditional sentence and three years of probation.
He was also ordered to pay back the benefits he fraudulently received.
"Falsifying records and claims, wilfully not reporting income, or inflating expenses can lead to criminal charges, prosecution, jail time, and a criminal record," the CRA said.
The Montrealer is not alone in getting caught for cheating on his taxes. Between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, there were 36 convictions with fines totalling more than $5 million, according to the CRA.
The news release said that the people who were convicted "were sentenced for wilfully evading payment amounts totalling $10,902,950 in tax. Out of the 36 convictions, 15 individuals were sent to jail for a total of 26.2 years."
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