Pop star Justin Bieber may be in hot water again.
Two Canada Border Services Agency officers say a chief at a Niagara Falls border crossing was fired because of allegations that she accepted up to $10,000 worth of backstage passes to allow some of Bieb’s buddies with criminal records to enter the country.
The officers say at least two American members of the pop star’s posse, allegedly with criminal records, were issued temporary resident permits to enter Canada for several days to perform in shows.
Bieber, 20, who is from Stratford, is a citizen and cannot be stopped from entering Canada.
The Bieb’s visa scheme surfaced after another group of his pals showed up at the same border crossing several weeks later seeking similar treatment, according to the officers, whose identities cannot be released or they will be fired.
The officer on duty promptly blew the whistle, they said.
The CBSA last week issued a strongly-worded memo to remind staff that breaches of its policies will not be tolerated and officers should become informants if they suspect bad behaviour by their colleagues.
CBSA spokesperson Esme Bailey confirmed there was an incident at the border crossing and the allegations 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.”
“Behaviour that breaches these standards will not be tolerated,” Bailey said by e-mail on Tuesday. “Upon learning of allegations of serious misconduct in the Southern Ontario Region, the Agency took immediate action.”
She did not name the official who was terminated or comment on who else was involved in the Bieber visa probe.
“When behaviour falls short of these standards, individuals will be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including termination of employment for cause,” Bailey wrote.
She said an internal investigation is underway and her officials cannot discuss the results or “the possibility of police involvement.”
An August 12 e-mail that was sent to CBSA staff by president Luc Portelance and executive vice-president Nada Semaan confirmed the Professional Standards Investigative Directorate are probing allegations of employee misconduct in the Southern Ontario Region.
“We know that this news comes as a disappointment to you, as it does to us,” the bosses wrote. “The vast majority of CBSA employees adhere to our high standards and are respectful of the trust placed in them by the people they serve.”
They asked staffers to report suspected wrongdoing by their colleagues to the office of values and ethics.
When the visa incident occurred is unknown, but the pop star performed two sold-out shows in Toronto in July last year at the Rogers Centre. The star and his entourage were turned away from a night of gambling at Niagara Fallsview Casino last May after one of his friends failed to show identification.
This is the lastest in a series of troubles facing Bieber: just last week in Florida, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanour charges of careless driving and resisting arrest seven months after his arrest in Miami Beach following what police initially called an illegal street drag race.
The singer’s plea deal includes a 12-hour anger management course, a $50,000 charitable contribution and a $500 fine. (Strangely, a Miami cop was placed under investigation for trying to take a photo of the star while he was in custody.)
In July, Bieber resolved another criminal case by pleading no contest to a misdemeanour vandalism charge for throwing eggs at a neighbour’s house in Los Angeles. In that case, Bieber agreed to pay more than $80,000 in damages and meet a number of conditions.
He is also charged in Toronto with assaulting a limousine driver last Dec. 30 during a night of partying with his entourage.
His next court date here is on Sept. 8.
