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CHARLOTTETOWN — Two Charlottetown motel owners accused of setting up fake addresses for Chinese immigrants to Prince Edward Island have pleaded not guilty to immigration fraud charges.

Defence lawyer Lee Cohen entered the pleas for his two clients Wednesday in provincial court in Charlottetown.

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Judge Nancy Orr decided that an eight-day trial will begin Nov. 30, with seven other days set aside in December.

“The court has set dates that are earlier than any of the lawyers wanted, but the court had openings in its schedule,” Cohen said in an interview. “We’re going to have to expedite our preparation … But that shouldn’t get in the way of our game plan or our hope for success.”

In May, the Canada Border Services Agency charged 60-year-old Ping Zhong with three counts of aiding and abetting misrepresentation under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Five charges were laid against her 58-year-old brother, Yi Zhong.