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| Unqualified doctor who faked degree took £1.3m from NHS, trial told | Unqualified doctor who faked degree took £1.3m from NHS, trial told |
| (25 days later) | |
| Zholia Alemi worked as a psychiatrist after claiming to have qualified in New Zealand, the trial heard | Zholia Alemi worked as a psychiatrist after claiming to have qualified in New Zealand, the trial heard |
| A "most accomplished fraudster" who forged a degree certificate to get work as a psychiatrist earned more than £1m from the NHS, a jury has been told. | A "most accomplished fraudster" who forged a degree certificate to get work as a psychiatrist earned more than £1m from the NHS, a jury has been told. |
| Manchester Crown Court heard Zholia Alemi worked for almost 20 years after claiming to have qualified at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. | Manchester Crown Court heard Zholia Alemi worked for almost 20 years after claiming to have qualified at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. |
| Prosecutor Christopher Stables said "to put it bluntly", she was "a fraud". | Prosecutor Christopher Stables said "to put it bluntly", she was "a fraud". |
| Ms Alemi, of Plumbe Street, Burnley, denies 13 counts of fraud, two of forgery and five other offences. | Ms Alemi, of Plumbe Street, Burnley, denies 13 counts of fraud, two of forgery and five other offences. |
| Mr Stables told the court Ms Alemi had forged a degree certificate and a letter of verification and sent them to the General Medical Council (GMC) in 1995 with the aim of becoming registered as a doctor in the UK. | Mr Stables told the court Ms Alemi had forged a degree certificate and a letter of verification and sent them to the General Medical Council (GMC) in 1995 with the aim of becoming registered as a doctor in the UK. |
| The jury heard the defendant, who Mr Stables said was believed to be 60, had gone on to work in psychiatry and had a number of jobs between 1998 and 2017 at organisations and health trusts which spanned "quite literally the length and breadth of the country". | The jury heard the defendant, who Mr Stables said was believed to be 60, had gone on to work in psychiatry and had a number of jobs between 1998 and 2017 at organisations and health trusts which spanned "quite literally the length and breadth of the country". |
| He stressed that a "conservative estimate" of the total amount of money "fraudulently obtained by the defendant from the NHS is somewhere... between £1m and £1.3m". | He stressed that a "conservative estimate" of the total amount of money "fraudulently obtained by the defendant from the NHS is somewhere... between £1m and £1.3m". |
| He said Ms Alemi was born in Tehran, Iran, but records showed she presented in New Zealand in 1986 and married a year later, giving her occupation as nurse. | He said Ms Alemi was born in Tehran, Iran, but records showed she presented in New Zealand in 1986 and married a year later, giving her occupation as nurse. |
| 'Completely deceived' | 'Completely deceived' |
| The court heard that by 1995, she was living at an address in Winchester, Hampshire, and had gone on to join the GMC medical register using the legitimate Commonwealth Route. | The court heard that by 1995, she was living at an address in Winchester, Hampshire, and had gone on to join the GMC medical register using the legitimate Commonwealth Route. |
| Mr Stables said she was "a most accomplished forger and fraudster, but has no qualification that would allow her to be called, or in any way to be properly regarded as, a doctor". | Mr Stables said she was "a most accomplished forger and fraudster, but has no qualification that would allow her to be called, or in any way to be properly regarded as, a doctor". |
| "In short, this defendant exploited [the Commonwealth route], she forged her qualifications, she made bogus assertions as to what her experience had been," he said. | "In short, this defendant exploited [the Commonwealth route], she forged her qualifications, she made bogus assertions as to what her experience had been," he said. |
| "In this regard, she completely deceived the GMC into accepting that she was a fully qualified doctor [when] in fact, she never was." | "In this regard, she completely deceived the GMC into accepting that she was a fully qualified doctor [when] in fact, she never was." |
| 'Forger's kit' | 'Forger's kit' |
| He said the court would be shown evidence that Ms Alemi failed her medical exams and, after repeated resits, was asked to withdraw from the medical faculty. | He said the court would be shown evidence that Ms Alemi failed her medical exams and, after repeated resits, was asked to withdraw from the medical faculty. |
| "Rather than passing her exams, she in fact failed them, was asked to leave and was never qualified at all," Mr Stables said. | "Rather than passing her exams, she in fact failed them, was asked to leave and was never qualified at all," Mr Stables said. |
| He added that a letter of verification sent to the GMC, which was claimed to be from the "faculty registrar", had said she had completed six years of training with "satisfactory grade". | He added that a letter of verification sent to the GMC, which was claimed to be from the "faculty registrar", had said she had completed six years of training with "satisfactory grade". |
| Mr Stables said police searched a home owned by Ms Alemi in Omagh, Northern Ireland, and discovered a briefcase in a cupboard containing part of a "forger's kit", including dry transfer letters and documents which he suggested were practice versions of a forged certificate. | Mr Stables said police searched a home owned by Ms Alemi in Omagh, Northern Ireland, and discovered a briefcase in a cupboard containing part of a "forger's kit", including dry transfer letters and documents which he suggested were practice versions of a forged certificate. |
| The jury heard her case was that she was appropriately qualified and documents demonstrating her qualifications were genuine. | The jury heard her case was that she was appropriately qualified and documents demonstrating her qualifications were genuine. |
| Mr Stables said: "That does not accord with the evidence you will hear." | Mr Stables said: "That does not accord with the evidence you will hear." |
| Ms Alemi denies 13 counts of fraud, three of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two of forgery and two of using a false instrument. | Ms Alemi denies 13 counts of fraud, three of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two of forgery and two of using a false instrument. |
| Her trial is expected to last up to five weeks. | Her trial is expected to last up to five weeks. |
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