2nd man files lawsuit against Whitehorse immigration consultant alleging he was scammed out of nearly $500K

A second individual has initiated legal action against a Whitehorse immigration consultant and a family member, claiming that they defrauded him of nearly $500,000 while purportedly assisting him with the Yukon Business Nominee Program.

Franklin Lee lodged a statement of claim with the Yukon Supreme Court on May 12 against Maggie Ozen, her immigration consulting firm, and her brother-in-law, Ivan Tang. The plaintiff, a citizen of Hong Kong, asserts that he was coerced into investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in a dry-cleaning venture with Tang and paid tens of thousands more in fees to Ozen. However, he found himself in an unsustainable business situation and no closer to achieving his immigration objective.

Lee is seeking $471,000 in damages, in addition to other costs. Apart from seeking a refund of his funds, Lee is requesting the court to declare his business nominee program agreement null and void or unenforceable against him.

As of now, no statements of defense have been submitted. Ozen, when contacted by phone, declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating that she would like to share the “true story” once the case is resolved. Meanwhile, Tang did not respond to a message sent via social media.

This lawsuit marks the second legal action this year involving Ozen, her immigration consulting business, and the Yukon Nominee Business Program. Another individual, Wenbin Zhang, previously sued Ozen, her spouse, and another immigration consultant, alleging that he lost his life savings after investing in a convenience store, believing it would aid him in obtaining permanent residency through the program.

Jimmy Burg, a lawyer based in Vancouver who represents both Lee and Zhang in their respective lawsuits, suggested that these cases might indicate a recurring pattern. He alleged that Ozen could be exploiting the business nominee program to build trusting relationships with immigrants, persuading them to invest in her family-controlled entities under the false promise of Canadian citizenship. The plaintiffs claim that this behavior constitutes a breach of fiduciary duty.

The financial and immigration prospects of Lee are said to have been “irreparably harmed,” according to the lawsuit. Lee was introduced to Ozen in February 2021 while still residing in Hong Kong, where he and his family sought to emigrate due to political turmoil. Allegedly, Ozen assured Lee that she could facilitate his immigration to Canada through the Yukon Business Nominee Program.

The program, administered by the Yukon and federal governments, grants foreigners a two-year work permit during which they must establish or operate a business in the territory. If they meet program criteria, which typically include fulfilling a program agreement outlining specific conditions and metrics their businesses must meet, the Yukon government will nominate them for permanent residency.

The lawsuit claims that Ozen proposed a business venture related to a dry-cleaning service and laundromat, in which Lee was to invest $300,000. Additionally, if he paid her $80,000, she would liaise with the Yukon and federal governments on his behalf. Tang, whom Lee was unaware was Ozen’s brother-in-law and also seeking immigration to Canada, was supposed to be Lee’s business partner.

Enviro Clean, the business venture, was established in June 2022. The statement of claim contains a series of allegations regarding Ozen’s involvement in the setup and operations, including falsifying an invoice, levying additional fees and expenses, and providing advice contrary to program policies.

Tang allegedly paid himself with business funds without Lee’s consent and physically assaulted Lee out of anger when asked to assume more dry-cleaning responsibilities and a fairer share of business management. The lawsuit also alleges that Tang mismanaged the business, causing financial losses by falsely informing numerous customers that the dry-cleaning equipment was malfunctioning.

In January, Ozen withdrew as Lee’s immigration representative, while Tang abandoned the business after finding an alternative method to secure his immigration status. This left Lee’s legal and financial interests in disarray, severely jeopardizing his ability to immigrate to Canada.