Toronto woman accused of bilking immigration clients

A Toronto woman whose clients claim she bilked them out of tens of thousands of dollarson the promise shed help their relatives immigrate to Canadahas been arrested.

AngelaCodinafaces five charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, including representing clients and giving them advice without being a lawyer or certified immigration consultant.

MohammadKhadampoursays he paidCodina$10,000 three years ago to help secure permanent residency for his sister.But 10 months later, he says he saw the application still sitting onCodina'sdesk.

It was clear she was doing nothing,Khadampourtold CBC News.

Another former client and her son say they paidCodina$15,000 to bring two relatives from Iran.

And then after, I didn't hear anything, saidAzarSalem.

Codinahas bilked clients in the past. She was convicted of grand larceny in New York in 2000 and sentenced to a minimum of nine years in prison. In 2002, she was disbarred by the Law Society of Upper Canada after defrauding Ontario's legal aid plan of $20,000.

CBC News has learned dozens ofCodina'sclients have taken her to small claims court and won, though she has not paid up. Her website indicates offices across Canada and abroad.

She remains in custody pending a bail hearing on Monday.