By Canadian Press

Mother pleads guilty in Inuit identity fraud case, charges dropped against daughters

Feb 9, 2024 | 1:38 PM

IQALUIT, Nunavut — A lawyer for a Toronto woman says she has pleaded guilty in an Inuit identity fraud case and charges against her twin daughters have been dropped.

Karima Manji, who is 59, and her daughters, Amira and Nadya Gill, had faced two counts of fraud over $5,000.

John Scott Cowan says Manji appeared virtually and took responsibility this morning during a court hearing in Iqaluit.

Nunavut RCMP had charged the three women in September 2023 after receiving a complaint that they used Inuit status to defraud two organizations.

RCMP had alleged that between October 2016 and September 2022, the women applied for and obtained Inuit beneficiary status as adopted children through the land-claim body Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. 

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Mounties had accused the women of using the status to defraud the Kakivak Association and Qikiqtani Inuit Association of funds only available to Inuit beneficiaries. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2024.

The Canadian Press