Ghanaian jailed for two years for using a fraudulent Canadian passport 16 times

A 22-year-old Ghanaian, Jefferson Zormelo, has been sentenced to two years in prison in Canada for using a fraudulent Canadian passport to enter and leave the country 16 times.

Zormelo pleaded guilty earlier this year to violating the Canadian Citizenship Act and was sentenced on Monday, November 9, 2026, by Justice Karen Molle in Calgary, Alberta.

The judge said the offence undermined the integrity of Canada's citizenship system, warning that the fraudulent use of a Canadian passport could threaten public safety and national security and damage the country's international reputation.

With credit for time already served since his arrest, Zormelo has approximately 14 months left to serve.Used fraudulent passport at three international airportsZormelo arrived in Canada in 2021 on a study permit. However, immigration authorities determined in 2024 that he was no longer enrolled in school and issued an exclusion order for his removal from the country.

According to an agreed statement of facts filed in court, he subsequently obtained identification documents, including proof of Canadian citizenship, under a false identity.

He then secured a Canadian passport issued in December 2024 in the name of Mitchell Leblanc.

Over the following 15 months, Zormelo used the passport to enter and leave Canada 16 times through international airports in Montreal, Toronto and Halifax.

His activities came to an end in April 2026 when officers of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) arrested him in Calgary after he presented a fraudulent permanent resident card bearing the Leblanc identity to officials at the United States Consulate.

A subsequent search of his hotel room uncovered the fraudulent Canadian passport, among other items.

Judge cites sophisticated nature of fraud

During sentencing, prosecutor Tyler Lord sought a five-year prison term, while defence lawyer Devin Frank urged the court to consider a sentence equivalent to the time Zormelo had already spent in custody.

The defence cited his difficult upbringing in Ghana, including experiences of poverty and abuse, and argued for leniency.

Justice Molle acknowledged that Zormelo had been desperate to live and work in Canada but identified several aggravating factors, including the sophisticated and elaborate nature of the fraud.

She warned that individuals who use their intelligence to execute complex criminal schemes could pose a greater risk to public safety.

“Clever criminals pose a greater risk to public safety,” she said.