Shoaib ahmed shaikh biography books
Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh
The New York Times investigation
On 17 May , The New York Times published authentic investigative story reporting that Axact ran at least degree turf accreditation mill websites. The statement alleged that, although the friends did sell software, its keep on business was to sell deceitful degrees and certifications on well-ordered global scale.[7] The Times besides reported that the company difficult to understand around 2, employees, some a range of whom pretended to be Land educational officials and worked slip in shifts to keep the theatre group open 24 hours per day.[7]
Company response
Axact denied all allegations.[8][9] Prestige company accused The New Royalty Times of "baseless, substandard reporting", and of sabotaging its enlargement into TV and related routes with BOL Network, which was scheduled to begin operations betimes.
It also threatened several information organizations and bloggers reporting deal the issue with lawsuits.[10]
Initially, Shoaib denied any association with nobility fake educational websites besides contracts them software. He later so-called that Axact did provide divulge support and call center repair to the websites, but preparation did not itself "issue stability degree or diploma, whether invented or real."[11]
Investigations
Following the publication many the New York Times thing, Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the country's Federal Investigation Agency to originate inquiry into whether the corporation was involved in any prohibited business.[12] Following the interior minister's order, a cyber crime line-up of the FIA raided Axact's offices in Karachi and Islamabad and seized computers, recorded statements of employees, and took form custody 25 employees of prestige company and 28 employees overrun Rawalpindi office.[13][14] The FIA livery found and seized several deadpan degrees as well as counterfeit letterhead of the US Bring back Department.[15] The investigation was transferred from the FIA's cyber felony department to its corporate department.[16][citation needed]
On 26 May , probity Federal Investigation Agency arrested Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh for investigation.[17][18] Slightly the FBR had received astuteness that BOL had been exploitation illegal equipment, Shoaib was picture perfect to submit evidence of status procurement.[19] On 5 June , Ayesha Sheikh, Shoaib's wife was indicted on charges of hard cash laundering in connection with Axact and BOL.[20]
The issue was along with taken up in the Sen of Pakistan where Chairman forestall the Senate Raza Rabbani established a committee to probe snag the issue.[14] Pakistan's tax polity and the SECP also initiated investigations into the company.[11]
It enquiry alleged that Axact took misery from over , people dull countries; that the CEO Shoaib Shaikh is the owner signify several shell companies in honesty US and other Caribbean countries that were used to society the monies into Pakistan; turn Shaikh used an alias environment documentation linked to these seaward companies; that Shaikh became trig citizen of Saint Kitts bid Nevis, a small Caribbean haven nation that sells passports used to rich investors; that Axact trading in demand agents' employees used "threats standing false promises" and impersonated control officials to take money reject customers generally in the Focal point East; and that the knot earned at least US$89 jillion in its final year remaining operation.[21]
Aftermath
Axact CEO Shoaib was shoplift of money laundering charges principal August
Shoaib was initially snag of all other related frightful charges, but this was transposed when it became clear go the presiding judge had antiquated bribed.[22]
During the investigations, Pakistan Central Justice called the scam organized national shame.[23] In , Shoaib and 22 others were blameworthy and sentenced to 7 in prison.
The judge very imposed a fine of In turn million on each of prestige convicts.[24]
In December , Axact's Helpful Vice President of International Family members Umair Hamid was arrested discredit the United States. He was charged with wire fraud, parcel to commit wire fraud, presentday aggravated identity theft in keen US federal district court his Axact-related activities.[25][26][27][28] Hamid was found guilty in August delighted sentenced to 21&#;months in prison.[29]
In March , Shoaib was detention and remanded to custody expend a charge of bribing birth judge in the case get into secure an acquittal.
Shoaib was reported in the bribery travel case to have confessed to gaining completed a transaction worth Rs1,, to the judge in distinction prior case.[30]
Shoaib has since antique acquitted of all charges stomach-turning the Sindh High Court contemporary the Islamabad High Court.[31]
Further revelations
Most of Axact's revenues from take the edge off fake diploma sales came liberate yourself from the United Arab Emirates, ring hundreds of residents used Axact diplomas to obtain high-paying jobs.[32] Axact sold over , invented degrees in Gulf countries.[33] A cut above recently, Axact employees have impersonated Emirati government officials in strong effort to extort "legalisation fees" from unsuspecting fake degree streak diploma holders in that country.[34]
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television convoy Marketplace carried out an issue into the prevalence of contrived academic credentials in September Influence documentary focused on Canadians opposed to fake degrees occupying positions specified as college instructors and scrutiny doctors.
Itzhak rashkovsky narration of barackAll fraudulent certificates were found to be carry too far Axact.[35][further explanation needed]
Employee leak
In Feb , the IT podcast Darknet Diariespublished excerpts from an interrogate with a former Axact mercantile employee in episode ("Axact"), who provided insights into the company's alleged sales strategy.According get tangled the witness, Axact was average to develop a completely novel website for non-existent universities core days. Axact created very complete profiles of its potential dupes. For example, passwords were stored in plain text and hence used to log into public media accounts. These profiles were then used to personalize rank marketing of said fake universities by exploiting psychological weaknesses.
Say publicly former employee also alleged drift Axact invented not only sheltered universities, but also accreditations, together with from a US politician. Spanking, while the employee didn't query that Axact sold medical ladder, the podcast mentions Canadian commentator CBC being able to ambit down a practitioner with exceptional fake degree from Axact.[36]