By Tanaya DAS
It's been almost a year since Edward Kang was reported to the authorities and exposed in a coordinated media effort of IMMIGRATIONews and the ABC's Lateline.
Since then we have covered the stories of more victims of Mr. Kang and how some of those people have been valiantly trying to receive justice. (Volume's 279 & 303)
Today we bring you yet another example of how Eddie Kang is still out their, a danger to the community. This is Rakesh's story who not only lost lost thousands of dollars to Mr Kang but also became illegal due to Kang's actions.
Rajesh Khadka a Nepalese national who became illegal due to the actions of Mr. Kang. Rajesh signed up as a client with Mr Kang's company MCL International Investment Pty Ltd. Mr Khadka came to Australia in August 2007 to study leaving behind his wife and two little children. He completed a range of vocational courses in Australia before contacting a Gumtree ad poster in April 2014 for a possible job and temporary sponsored work visa.
Mr Khadka met Mr Kang at his office in North Sydney and signed a contract for job search and visa application and paid Mr Kang $17000 and says "Mr Kang advised me that with my various qualifications as well as previous degree from Nepal I was suited for the job and that there would be no problem in getting my visa. I thought everything was great and was looking forward to start work soon". Kang had offered Rajesh a position of Customer Service Manager at AEON Human Resources.
Kang did lodge an application for him but as he has done in the past with other clients, failed to inform Rajesh that this application was refused. By the time Rajesh found out it was too late for him to appeal to the MRT or lodge another student visa application. Rajesh and his wife became unlawful.
Rajesh became suspicious of the delay in hearing about his application. He says "Mr Kang kept telling me everything was okay and this was the normal processing period even though he knew the application had been refused. He acted in a manner that made sure we would become illegal and have to return home so we couldn't pursue him for our money back."
Rajesh has given up trying to get his money back after numerous pleas to Kang and wishes people to read his story so others will not be caught up in Kang's web of lies and deceit.
He says, "I lived alone in Sydney for a year and a half before my wife joined me, I haven't seen my children in a long time, they live with their grand-parents, I thought working in Sydney will enable me to bring them here, support them and ensure a better future for them but unfortunately I got caught in a scam perpetuated by a con-man."
Rajesh showed his application documents to IMMIGRATIONews. His application was lodged based upon sponsorship by a company called Aeon Human Resources PTY Ltd which listed a Sydney's CBD address.
IMMIGRATIONNews visited the premises found that this company appeared to be just a front and not actually operating. It does not appear on the buildings occupant listing board , nor does it appear to be amongst the tenant's letter boxes.
There is a small suite at the address, about 50sqm, the door was locked, the lights were on but no staff inside. From the look of the couple of desks in view there was no evidence of any office work being carried out, no papers, pens, computers etc. On the wall next to the tiny reception desk was a list of 6 companies, AEON Human Resources (bottom left) being just one of them. We visited this office multiple times in an attempt to speak to anybody and observed consistently that the offices were deserted during business hours.
We spoke to the other businesses on the same level who were busily operating if they had seen anyone next door? Very occasionally they saw one person was the reply, but not everyday. On one return visit we found one man inside who claimed to be a solicitor. He seemed wary and evasive and claimed not to have ever heard of Mr Kang. It was hardly the experience of visiting an actively operating company, let alone a company that was capable of sponsoring a 457 visa applicant.
Investigations by IMMIGRATIONews uncovered that AEON Human Resources Pty Ltd is under the "Strike Off Action"in progress by ASIC. Furthermore we discovered that one of the other companies on the shared board (bottom right) AE Holdings Pty Ltd was struck off by ASIC in on the 23rd March 2014. You get the idea.
IMMIGRATIONews spoke again to Shiva Niraula one of the first people to speak to media about Mr Kang. She says "You know at first we couldn't believe that someone could do this in Australia right under the nose of the Immigration department, then it happened. No one was willing to speak about it especially on camera but I thought there is nothing that we've done wrong why should we hide, I hoped that the resulting publicity would bring us justice, that didn't happen. I thought telling the police about the threats we were receiving would mean the threats would be taken seriously, they weren't. Then I thought surely a court order after the Consumer Trade and Tenancy Tribunal review would help but Mr Kang just ignores all of that and keeps changing the name of his business and fools more people."
Normally a vivacious girl with a positive attitude Shiva sounds subdued when she states "Everyday that goes by more people are being sold dreams by Mr Kang at tens of thousands of dollars, dreams that will never come true while the authorities just let him do what he pleases."
