Nicole O’Reilly Mon, 30 Jul 2012
Woman pleads guilty in human trafficking case

Anna Maria Lukacs came to this country with her husband and children claiming to be a refugee in need of Canada’s protection. But she will leave a convicted criminal, brought down in the largest human trafficking ring bust in Canadian history.

Lukacs, 37, pleaded guilty Friday to participating in the criminal organization that recruited human trafficking victims from Hungary and also organized an elaborate mailbox cheque theft ring. She was sentenced to six months in jail.

The organization is made up of an extended Roma Hungarian family who would bring unknowing victims to Canada on the promise of a good job, only to seize control of their bank accounts, documentation and movements, force them to work for virtually no pay in the family’s construction business and coerce them to falsely claim refugee status and welfare.

Lukacs was arrested by RCMP July 10 in a Toronto apartment.

Lukacs’ husband Janos Szanto is serving a two-year sentence for his role in the organization. He and other family are among nine members brought down in Project Opapa – named after the town Papa, Hungary – to plead guilty to human trafficking. Even more have pled guilty to related fraud, theft and criminal organization charges.

Both Szanto and Lukacs are only eligible for early parole for the purpose of deportation back to Hungary.

Lukacs and her family were denied their refugee claim this past March.

Collectively the couple defrauded Hamilton out of more than $50,000 in bogus welfare claims, said Assistant Crown attorney Toni Skarica.

noreilly@thespec.com

905-526-3199 | @NicoleatTheSpec

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Article posted in Communities, Crime, Crime (type), Crime by ethnicity, Criminal refugees/illegal immigrants, Deported/To be deported, European community, European crime, Habits/Customs/Traditions/Foreign militancy brought by immigrants, Human trafficking/Slavery, Immigration, Refugees, Robbery/Theft