A Montreal woman faces 61 charges in connection with immigration fraud.

Carol Massoud is suspected of acting as an immigration representative without authorization. She is also believed to have encouraged her clients to make false declarations to obtain permanent resident status or Canadian citizenship. She is also suspected of sending fake documents to the federal government to obtain passports for her 30 clients.

But these clients also face charges and sanctions, including losing whatever status they obtained in Canada.

It was a briefcase full of documents left in a school hallway that led to the investigation which began several months ago.