A 22-year-old Ghanaian man, Jefferson Zormelo, has been sentenced to two years in prison in Canada after admitting to using a fraudulently obtained Canadian passport to travel in and out of the country a remarkable 16 times.
Justice Karen Molle handed down the sentence in Calgary on Monday, November 9, 2026, after Zormelo pleaded guilty to an offence under Canada’s Citizenship Act. With credit for the time he has already spent in custody, he has approximately 14 months remaining on his sentence.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Zormelo originally entered Canada legally on a study permit in 2021. However, immigration authorities issued an exclusion order against him in 2024 after discovering that he was no longer enrolled in school.
Instead of leaving Canada as required, prosecutors said Zormelo obtained identification documents and proof of Canadian citizenship under the false identity “Mitchell Leblanc.” Those documents were subsequently used to obtain a Canadian passport in December 2024.
Between February 2025 and March 2026, he allegedly used the passport 16 times to enter and leave Canada through international airports in Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.
His scheme eventually unraveled in April 2026 after he presented a fraudulent permanent resident card bearing the same false identity at the U.S. Consulate in Calgary. Canada Border Services Agency officers arrested him, and a subsequent search of his hotel room uncovered the passport.
Crown prosecutor Tyler Lord had pushed for a five-year prison sentence, while defence lawyer Devin Frank asked the court to consider time already served.
Justice Molle ultimately imposed two years, describing the fraud as sophisticated and stressing that misuse of Canadian citizenship documents can undermine public safety, national security and confidence in the country’s passport system.
The case highlights how identity fraud involving official travel documents can carry serious criminal consequences, particularly when the documents are repeatedly used to cross international borders.
