A Laval man has been sentenced to prison after using other taxpayers’ personal information to file false tax and benefit returns in a scheme that involved $226,809 in claimed refunds.
The Canada Revenue Agency said Michel-Ange Bonny pleaded guilty to one count of fraud under the Criminal Code on October 5, 2026, at the Laval courthouse.
The CRA announced the conviction on Monday, October 19, 2026.
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How the tax fraud scheme worked
The CRA said its investigation found that 24 returns for the 2018 tax year were filed without the knowledge or consent of the taxpayers involved.
The returns were submitted between March and April 2019.
They contained fictitious employment income and deductions that the taxpayers were not eligible to claim, creating refunds that were not legitimately owed.
The filings also triggered unauthorized changes to several CRA accounts.
Those changes included alterations to mailing addresses and direct-deposit information, according to the agency.
The total value of the refunds fraudulently claimed was $226,809.
Of that amount, $137,988 was deposited into the other taxpayers’ bank accounts.
The CRA said Bonny personally benefited by approximately $30,000.
The agency noted that case-specific information came from court records.
Sentence includes separate police case
Bonny received an 18-month prison sentence followed by three years of probation for the tax fraud offence investigated by the CRA.
He was also facing other charges from a separate investigation conducted by the Laval Police Service.
A concurrent two-year prison sentence was imposed for those offences.
As a result, Bonny will serve a total sentence of two years in prison for the two matters, the CRA said.
The agency did not identify the other charges in its enforcement notice.
Why unauthorized CRA account changes matter
Changes to an address or direct-deposit details can allow criminals to redirect tax refunds or government benefits while making it harder for victims to receive notices.
Unauthorized filings can also create delays, account restrictions and difficult questions for taxpayers who were unaware that returns had been submitted in their names.
The CRA says taxpayers should regularly monitor their accounts and pay attention to notifications about changes to personal or financial information.
The agency also recommends using strong, unique passwords and adding a backup multi-factor authentication option to CRA accounts.
Those safeguards are intended to reduce the risk of stolen credentials being used to access taxpayer information.
What Canadians should do if they see suspicious activity
Anyone who notices an unauthorized return, benefit application, address change or banking update should contact the CRA as soon as possible.
People can report suspected identity theft or suspicious activity through the CRA’s online reporting options.
Victims should also contact their financial institution, credit-reporting agencies and local police when financial information or money may have been compromised.
The CRA advises people to notify the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre as well, even when an attempted scam did not result in a financial loss.
Canadians should avoid responding to unexpected messages that request account credentials, banking details or payment information.
The agency says official information about tax accounts and benefits should be checked through Canada.ca or a secure CRA account rather than through links in unsolicited messages.
CRA’s broader anti-fraud work
The conviction comes as the CRA continues to warn that identity theft, phishing and other forms of tax fraud can compromise both personal information and public funds.
In an October 1, 2026 update, the agency said it uses security controls, automated monitoring and artificial-intelligence systems to help detect suspicious activity and respond to cyber threats.
The CRA also said it takes down hundreds of phishing websites each year and works with law-enforcement partners on serious tax crimes.
The agency’s Criminal Investigations Program focuses on significant tax evasion, tax fraud and other offences that threaten the integrity of Canada’s tax system.
The Laval case shows how stolen or misused personal information can be used to manipulate tax records and redirect public payments.
For taxpayers, checking CRA account notifications and reporting unexpected changes quickly remain among the most important steps to limit the damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was sentenced in the Laval tax fraud case?
Michel-Ange Bonny of Laval pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and received an 18-month sentence followed by three years of probation for the CRA-investigated offence.
How much money was involved in the scheme?
The CRA said 24 false returns generated $226,809 in claimed refunds, with $137,988 deposited into other taxpayers’ bank accounts.
How did the scheme affect taxpayers?
Returns were filed without their consent, and some CRA accounts had unauthorized changes to mailing addresses and direct-deposit information.
What should I do if my CRA account was changed without permission?
Contact the CRA immediately, notify your financial institution and credit-reporting agencies, contact local police where appropriate, and report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
How can Canadians help protect their CRA accounts?
Use a unique password, enable backup multi-factor authentication, monitor account notifications and verify tax-related messages through official Canada.ca or CRA channels.
Fact-Checked: Key facts were checked against the Canada Revenue Agency’s October 19, 2026 enforcement notice and its official fraud-prevention guidance. ([canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/news/newsroom/criminal-investigations-actions-charges-convictions/20261019-tax-fraud-scheme-using-taxpayers-personal-information-lands-laval-man-prison.html?utm_source=openai))
Disclaimer: The accused’s conviction and sentence are reported from the CRA’s official enforcement notice and court-record information; readers should contact authorities directly about individual fraud cases.