had checked her credentials and realised that she was not qualified to practise as a doctor. It was a journalist, Phil Coleman, on a regional newspaper, the News and Star, who contacted the University of Auckland and discovered that Alemi had not qualified as a doctor. As a result of this discovery, Alemi had her name removed from the medical register by the GMC. The GMC also checked the registration of some 3,000 doctors who had registered under the same route as Alemi, whereby doctors from some Commonwealth countries could, until 2003, bypass the usual requirement for foreign doctors to be tested on their medical and language skills before being allowed to practise in the UK. The discovery that Alemi's medical qualification had been faked led to further police investigations that extended over England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and also included enquiries made in New Zealand, Pakistan and the United States. In August 2020 Alemi was charged with a number of offences relating to fraud. 2023 trial In January 2023 Alemi went on trial at Manchester Crown Court, accused of 20 offences including forgery and fraud. During the four-week trial, the court heard that Alemi had used her forged degree certificate to be paid between £1 million and £1.3 million by the NHS. On 15 February 2023 the jury found her guilty on 13 counts of fraud, three counts of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception, two counts of forgery and two counts of using a false instrument. Judge Hilary Manley remanded her into custody and told her to expect a substantial prison sentence. The judge added that she wanted to know "how it was this defendant was able to practise as long as she was, in so many positions". The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that it would pursue confiscation proceedings against Alemi to recover criminal property. On 28 February 2023 Alemi, who has autism, was sentenced to seven years in prison. The judge described Alemi as "highly manipulative and cunning", and expressed concern that she was able to detain patients against their will and prescribe powerful and dangerous drugs. The judge was also critical of the GMC and called for a thorough and open inquiry into why they had not uncovered her fraud. References 1962 births Iranian fraudsters People convicted of fraud People convicted of forgery Living people