The Canadian Border Services Agency has fired a guard after allegations she accepted a bribe from Justin Bieber's entourage.
NOW Toronto interviewed two border guards, who spoke on condition of anonymity, and reported that "a chief" at a Niagara Falls border crossing was fired after she accepted a bribe worth $10,000 in backstage passes to the Canadian pop star's shows. In exchange, the guard allowed two American members of Bieber's entourage with criminal records to enter Canada.
Foreigners with criminal convictions can be turned away from Canada. Bieber, who is facing criminal charges, can not be stopped from returning since he's a Canadian citizen.
It's unclear when the bribing incident took place but the issue surfaced when friends of Bieber showed up at the same crossing expecting similar treatment weeks later. That's when the on-duty officers blew the whistle, TMZ reports.
In an email to the Huffington Post Canada, CBSA said the agency was aware of the incident.
"Behaviour that breaches these standards will not be tolerated. Upon learning of allegations of serious misconduct in the Southern Ontario Region, the Agency took immediate action," wrote Esme Bailey, a spokesperson for CBSA.
The allegations against the guard include "accepting gifts, hospitality and other benefits; acceptances of travel offer from a third party and misuse of government electronic networks; abuse of authority; and, engaging in preferential treatment," added Bailey but refrained from identifying the officer.
On Aug. 12, the border agency's president released a memo to staff urging them to report any suspicious behaviour.
"Most of you are likely aware of investigations underway by the CBSA Professional Standards Investigation Directorate into allegations of employee misconduct in the Southern Ontario region," the memo said.
The 20-year-old pop star is in legal trouble on both sides of the border. He is currently facing assault charges stemming from an incident with a Toronto limo driver last December. And last week, Bieber dodged jail time in Florida after accepting a plea deal over charges of drunk driving, driving without a license and resisting arrest, ET Canada reports.
Bieber and his bodyguards are also facing civil lawsuits after a member of the paparazzi accused the singer and his bodyguard of assault. According to the photographer, Bieber ordered his guard to attack him after he snapped a shot of Bieber in Hawaii jumping from a cliff.
The photographer's claims have yet to be proven in court.
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