Calgary police are intensifying efforts to combat the rapid rise of cybercrime in the city, which is becoming one of the fastest-growing criminal activities. Recently, Lethbridge police charged five individuals in a complex identity fraud investigation with ties to Calgary, Edmonton, and Ontario.
The investigation began in the fall of 2023, when officers executed a search warrant at a North Side home in Lethbridge. The search led to the discovery of hundreds of forged documents and equipment used to create fake identity cards. These fraudulent IDs belonged to victims of identity theft and were used to purchase multiple high-end vehicles.
As the investigation expanded, additional search warrants were executed in Calgary and Edmonton, where police seized two Land Rovers and a Mercedes Benz that had their Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) altered. The investigation also revealed connections to a grandparent scam operating in Ontario.
The accused include 27-year-old Mutwokal Agustino Akorkwag and 23-year-old Tagjok Agustino Akorkwag, both charged with possession of a forged credit card, making or possessing identity documents, and possession of a forged document. Nineteen-year-old Angok Malwal and 25-year-old Chol Deng-Ngong, also from Lethbridge, face similar charges related to forged credit cards and identity documents.
A fifth person, a 17-year-old woman from Edmonton, is charged with making or possessing identity documents and possession of a stolen credit card. Due to her age, she cannot be named publicly.
The investigation involved collaboration between multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Halton Regional Police Service, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC). The investigation continues as authorities work to unravel the full scope of the fraud operation.