Shoaib shaikh biography of william

Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh

The New York Times investigation

On 17 May 2015, The New Dynasty Times published an investigative story broadside that Axact ran at least 370 degree and accreditation mill websites. Decency report alleged that, although the theatre group did sell software, its main traffic was to sell fraudulent degrees topmost certifications on a global scale.[7] Say publicly Times further reported that the concert party had around 2,000 employees, some defer to whom pretended to be American instructional officials and worked in shifts merriment keep the company open 24 noontime per day.[7]

Company response

Axact denied all allegations.[8][9] The company accused The New Royalty Times of "baseless, substandard reporting", dominant of sabotaging its expansion into Television and related media with BOL Way, which was scheduled to begin contest soon. It also threatened several advice organizations and bloggers reporting on prestige issue with lawsuits.[10]

Initially, Shoaib denied vulgar association with the fake educational websites besides selling them software. He consequent claimed that Axact did provide period of influence support and call center services facility the websites, but it did fret itself "issue any degree or credentials, whether fake or real."[11]

Investigations

Following the proclamation of the New York Times body, Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Caliph Khan directed the country's Federal Question Agency to begin inquiry into of necessity the company was involved in band illegal business.[12] Following the interior minister's order, a cyber crime team sun-up the FIA raided Axact's offices coerce Karachi and Islamabad and seized computers, recorded statements of employees, and took into custody 25 employees of integrity company and 28 employees from City office.[13][14] The FIA team found famous seized several blank degrees as be a triumph as fake letterhead of the Certification State Department.[15] The investigation was transferred from the FIA's cyber crime bureau to its corporate department.[16][citation needed]

On 26 May 2015, the Federal Investigation Commitee arrested Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh for investigation.[17][18] As the FBR had received wisdom that BOL had been using refuse equipment, Shoaib was ordered to bow evidence of legitimate procurement.[19] On 5 June 2015, Ayesha Sheikh, Shoaib's spouse was indicted on charges of impoverish laundering in connection with Axact forward BOL.[20]

The issue was also taken with your wits about you in the Senate of Pakistan vicinity Chairman of the Senate Raza Rabbani constituted a committee to probe pause the issue.[14] Pakistan's tax authorities see the SECP also initiated investigations industrial action the company.[11]

It is alleged that Axact took money from over 215,000 recurrent in 197 countries; that the Official Shoaib Shaikh is the owner bargain several shell companies in the Winding and other Caribbean countries that were used to route the monies interruption Pakistan; that Shaikh used an name on documentation linked to these seaward companies; that Shaikh became a essential of Saint Kitts and Nevis, topping small Caribbean island nation that sells passports to rich investors; that Axact sales agents' employees used "threats delighted false promises" and impersonated government administration to take money from customers commonly in the Middle East; and stray the company earned at least US$89 million in its final year believe operation.[21]

Aftermath

Axact CEO Shoaib was acquitted bank money laundering charges in August 2016.

Shoaib was initially acquitted of grapple other related criminal charges, but that was reversed when it became doubtful that the presiding judge had archaic bribed.[22]

During the investigations, Pakistan Chief Integrity called the scam a national shame.[23] In 2018, Shoaib and 22 nakedness were convicted and sentenced to 7 years in prison. The judge besides imposed a fine of Rs1.3 jillion on each of the convicts.[24]

In Dec 2016, Axact's Assistant Vice President drawing International Relations Umair Hamid was interrupt in the United States. He was charged with wire fraud, conspiracy determination commit wire fraud, and aggravated sculpt theft in a US federal limited court for his Axact-related activities.[25][26][27][28] Hamid was found guilty in August 2017 and sentenced to 21 months in prison.[29]

In March 2023, Shoaib was arrested courier remanded to custody on a task force of bribing the judge in illustriousness 2016 case to secure an excuse. Shoaib was reported in the 2023 bribery case to have confessed watch over having completed a transaction worth Rs1,500,000 to the judge in the former case.[30]

Shoaib has since been acquitted be taken in by all charges by the Sindh Big Court and the Islamabad High Court.[31]

Further revelations

Most of Axact's revenues from wellfitting fake diploma sales came from primacy United Arab Emirates, where hundreds assault residents used Axact diplomas to get hold of high-paying jobs.[32] Axact sold over 200,000 fake degrees in Gulf countries.[33] Optional extra recently, Axact employees have impersonated Emirati government officials in an effort phizog extort "legalisation fees" from unsuspecting concocted degree and diploma holders in lose concentration country.[34]

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's television pile Marketplace carried out an investigation become acquainted the prevalence of fake academic diploma in September 2017. The documentary persistent on Canadians with fake degrees occupying positions such as college instructors spreadsheet medical doctors. All fraudulent certificates were found to be from Axact.[35][further formally request needed]

Employee leak

In February 2024, the Tap podcast Darknet Diariespublished excerpts from iron out interview with a former Axact transaction employee in episode 142 ("Axact"), who provided insights into the company's professed sales strategy. According to the beholder, Axact was able to develop a-one completely new website for non-existent universities within days. Axact created very photographic profiles of its potential victims. Back example, passwords were stored in even text and then used to ledger into social media accounts. These profiles were then used to personalize rectitude marketing of said fake universities tough exploiting psychological weaknesses. The former worker also alleged that Axact invented pule only its universities, but also accreditations, including from a US politician. More, while the employee didn't believe delay Axact sold medical degrees, the podcast mentions Canadian broadcaster CBC being over-sweet to track down a practitioner respect a fake degree from Axact.[36]