Two Montreal residents have been prohibited from acting or using social media to solicit clients within the Hispanic community. The respondents promote their expertise in underwriting automobile and home insurance risks, even though they do not hold a certificate in this sector.
At the request of the Autorité des marchés financiers, on Aug. 28, the Financial Markets Administrative Tribunal (TMF) issued several orders against the respondents in this matter, who were absent from the hearing held before administrative judge Jean-Pierre Cristel on Aug. 27, 2026.
The respondents, Alexander Wuilfredo Agrizone Freites and Marlin Ysbelia Medina Castaneda, live at the same address in an apartment building in the Saint-Léonard neighbourhood and are allegedly common-law partners, according to the allegations in the originating application filed by the complainant. The Autorité argues that urgent action is needed to prevent irreparable harm to consumers who may have obtained insurance through the respondents.
The Autorité issued a news release on Sept. 2, 2026, warning consumers who may have used the respondents’ services and suggesting that they contact their insurer to verify the validity and scope of their insurance coverage.
The TMF orders the respondents to comply with the provisions of the Act respecting the distribution of financial products and services (ARDFPS). It also orders them to provide the Autorité with a complete list, including contact information, of the individuals for whom they allegedly obtained insurance contracts.
The tribunal also orders the respondents to remove any written material or content published or disseminated, directly or indirectly, online or otherwise, that serves to promote their unlicensed activities. The Facebook page “Asesoria Y Gestion” is specifically targeted. On Sept. 8, Insurance Portal found that the page was no longer accessible on Facebook.
The respondents have 15 days to file a notice contesting the orders. The TMF decision was provided to Insurance Portal by the Autorité des marchés financiers.
The allegations
In its application to the TMF, the Autorité notes that Mr. Freites has been taking steps to obtain a certificate that would allow him to act as a damage insurance representative. The evidence submitted by the Autorité shows that, since August 2024, the respondents allegedly used accounts on several platforms and social networks to solicit people of Latin American origin.
A significant number of automobile and home insurance policies may have been issued as a result of these illicit activities, which allegedly included impersonating clients when dealing with insurance companies. These policies could be cancelled.
On Aug. 4, 2026, insurance company Beneva reported the scheme allegedly used by Mr. Freites, which involved searching for and purchasing insurance policies for third parties by impersonating them and providing the insurer with false information in order to lower premiums. As of Aug. 25, 2026, Beneva had allegedly identified more than 200 such quotes.
The Autorité’s evidence shows that Industrial Alliance had also allegedly identified 98 similar automobile and home insurance quotes linked to the respondents’ scheme. The Autorité is conducting verifications with other insurers.
Three files
Evidence obtained through Beneva allowed the Autorité to conduct an in-depth analysis of three specific files and identify apparent breaches of section 12 of the ARDFPS.
Mr. Freites allegedly receives client referrals from at least two automobile dealerships. He allegedly obtains online quotes to find insurance products for his clients. Ms. Castaneda assists him by contacting insurers while impersonating female clients in order to purchase policies based on false or misleading information.
In at least two cases, the respondents were paid by the consumer. It appears that the respondents are continuing their activities with vulnerable individuals from the Hispanic community who have very limited proficiency in English or French.
The TMF says it is concerned about Mr. Freites’ conduct because, given the training he has already received in damage insurance, he cannot be unaware that obtaining a certificate is essential for anyone wishing to legally carry on activities as a representative. He “appears to have disregarded this fundamental obligation and apparently continues to do so without the slightest restraint.”
The Autorité’s application provides additional details about the scheme set up by the respondents. Some of the posts include a QR code leading to a Linktree page containing the following statement (translated from Spanish): “We handle your licence and insurance procedures as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
In an application submitted to Beneva in May 2025, the insured claimed to have an international driver’s licence and said he worked as a professional for the City of Quebec. He rejected the premium offered by Beneva and went to other insurers to obtain coverage for his BMW. The last insurer cancelled the policy for non-payment of the premium. The same telephone number associated with Mr. Freites was used three times, with the insured’s information changed for the same vehicle.
In another automobile insurance file, in which the client obtained coverage for two vehicles in December 2025, a claim was submitted in August 2026. The information provided by the insured did not match the information recorded in the file when the policy was purchased.
In the third file, the telephone number used was the one associated with Ms. Castaneda. The Beneva agent attempted to verify the information provided against the Fichier central des sinistres automobiles (FCSA), Quebec’s central automobile claims database. As the conversation continued, a man intervened, identifying himself as the salesperson for the vehicle to be insured and saying that the buyer’s phone battery was dead. He claimed that the transaction was underway at the dealership.
During a verification conducted by an Autorité investigator, she found that the information provided by the insured when the policy was purchased was not the same three weeks later.
The last call to Beneva from the telephone number associated with Mr. Freites took place on Aug. 18, 2026. According to the Autorité, this demonstrates that the respondents are continuing their activities, justifying its request for urgent intervention by the tribunal. The Autorité’s investigation is ongoing.
