A 22-year-old Ghanaian man has been sentenced to two years in prison in Canada for using a fraudulently obtained Canadian passport to enter and leave the country 16 times.
Jefferson Zormelo pleaded guilty earlier this year to violating the Canadian Citizenship Act. On Monday in Calgary, Justice Karen Molle imposed the sentence, stating that his actions “attack the integrity of the Canadian citizenship regime.”
“The offence jeopardized public safety and our national security,” the judge said. “Fraudulent use of Canadian passports affects Canada’s international reputation.” She described the scheme as sophisticated and elaborate, and emphasised that it was not a victimless crime.
With credit for time already served since his arrest, Zormelo has approximately 14 months remaining behind bars. The Crown had sought a five-year term, while the defence argued for a sentence equivalent to time already served.
According to an agreed statement of facts filed with the court, Zormelo arrived in Canada on a study permit in 2021. In 2024, authorities determined he was no longer enrolled in school and issued an exclusion order requiring his removal from the country.
Instead of complying, he obtained identification documents, including proof of citizenship, under the false name Mitchell Leblanc. Using those documents, he secured a Canadian passport issued in December 2024 under that name.
Over the following 15 months, from February 2025 to March 2026, Zormelo used the Leblanc passport to enter and exit Canada 16 times through international airports in Montreal, Toronto and Halifax.
He was arrested on 22 April 2026 by Canada Border Services Agency officers in Calgary after presenting a fake permanent resident card in the Leblanc name to officials at the United States Consulate. A search of his hotel room uncovered the fraudulent passport, among other items.
Justice Molle noted that Zormelo had said he committed the offence because he badly wanted to live and work in Canada. She observed that he had a choice to pursue status lawfully but deliberately broke the law.
