9 charged with fraud in Markham private college scam

A private career college in Markham is at the centre of a fraud investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets branch.

Nine people in connection to the Royal Institute of Science and Management (RISM) are facing charges.

It is alleged that over a period of six years, the owners and employees of the school recruited students to apply to the Ontario governments second career funding program. The program is designed for unemployed workers to obtain new skills and reintegrate themselves back into the work force.

The program offers funding of up to 28 thousand dollars to each person eligible for tuition, books and living expenses.

Police say that the students would then pay the money they received from the funding program to RISM for tuition. The students were given diplomas even though they never actually attended any classes or received any training.

The accused, eight employees and one former student, have all been charged with multiple offences including fraud over $5000.

• Michael Ostroff, 73, from Etobicoke
• Wei (Raymond) Xu, 58, from Richmond Hill
• Ming-ya (Kathy) Kennedy, 56, from Cobourg
• Deguang (Derek) Chen, 56, from Toronto
• Ye (Parker) Liu, 54, from Markham
• Octavian Calin Lucaciu, 54, from Oakville
• Xue (Sherry) Hang, 51, from Richmond Hill
• Jue (Judy) Li, 37, from Richmond Hill
• Jing (Mary) Bian, 34, from Thornhill

 

They are all scheduled to appear in court on Jan, 14.