Terrebonne man pocketed $150,000 from helping people get fake COVID-19 vaccine passports
A former worker at a COVID-19 vaccination centre pleaded guilty after he made $150,000 from helping hundreds of Quebecers obtain fake vaccination passports during the height of the pandemic.
Adams Diwa, 24, pleaded guilty to fraud, falsifying documents and breach of trust for infractions committed between September and November 2021.
The CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’île-de-Montréal hired Diwa in March 2021 to enter proof of vaccination data into the Quebec vaccination registry, according to the statement of facts filed in Quebec Superior Court.
The Terrebonne man then asked accomplices to get hundreds of peoples' names who wanted proof of vaccination.
"Between Sept. 5 and Nov. 7, 2021, while the accused was working at the Olympic Stadium vaccination site, he registered nearly 1,250 false vaccines in the vaccination registry at the benefit of 630 users," the court document reads.
Once entered, the users could download their vaccine passports.
The document says Diwa used his own user code for most of the registrations, except those entered for his family (nine people) and himself.
The majority of the money he made was found in his personal bank account, and police seized just over $30,000 when they raided his home.
The vaccine passport program remained in place in Quebec for six and a half months from Sept. 1, 2021, to March 14, 2022.
The federal program remained in place for travel until June 20, 2022.
Diwa is slated to return to court in August.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
'Mr. Trump doesn't worry us', says Canadian ambassador
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues the 'Team Canada' charm offensive to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders, Canada's ambassador to the United States downplayed the effect of another Trump presidency on Canada.
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Loblaw boycott organizers say they plan to keep movement going past May
The organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores say they've decided to extend the boycott past May.