THE BUZZ!
Canadian family charged with fraud for allegedly pretending to be indigenous to receive benefits
Culture appropriation.
A Canadian family has been charged with fraud for allegedly pretending to be indigenous in order to receive benefits. The woman and her two adopted twin 25-year-old daughters were charged with two counts each of fraud of over $5,000.
The investigation found that between October 2016 and September 2022, the three women applied for and obtained Inuit beneficiary status as adopted Inuit children through the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI). After obtaining Inuit beneficiary status, they defrauded two local organizations of funds that are exclusive to Inuit beneficiaries by obtaining grants and scholarships.
The NTI said in a statement that this case is the first of its kind. NTI President told the Canadian Broadcasting Company that at the very least the three women should pay back the money they received.
“You’ve wanted to take our language away from us,” he said. “You’ve wanted to take our culture away from us. Now you’re trying to claim our identity? It’s just flabbergasting.”
The three women are scheduled to appear in court on October 30, 2023.
The nerve of some folks.
Source: NY Post
