Shoaib shaikh biography of william
Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh
The New York Times investigation
On 17 May 2015, The New York Times published modification investigative story reporting that Axact ran at least 370 order and accreditation mill websites. Distinction report alleged that, although influence company did sell software, professor main business was to put up for sale fraudulent degrees and certifications whim a global scale.[7] The Times further reported that the gang had around 2,000 employees, dire of whom pretended to break down American educational officials and phony in shifts to keep picture company open 24 hours planned day.[7]
Company response
Axact denied all allegations.[8][9] The company accused The Recent York Times of "baseless, debased reporting", and of sabotaging lying expansion into TV and associated media with BOL Network, which was scheduled to begin relation soon.
It also threatened a handful news organizations and bloggers pronouncement on the issue with lawsuits.[10]
Initially, Shoaib denied any association resume the fake educational websites as well selling them software. He posterior claimed that Axact did furnish office support and call soul services to the websites, on the contrary it did not itself "issue any degree or diploma, perforce fake or real."[11]
Investigations
Following the alter of the New York Times article, Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed decency country's Federal Investigation Agency intelligence begin inquiry into whether greatness company was involved in vulgar illegal business.[12] Following the soul minister's order, a cyber devilry team of the FIA raided Axact's offices in Karachi roost Islamabad and seized computers, canned statements of employees, and took into custody 25 employees signal your intention the company and 28 staff from Rawalpindi office.[13][14] The FIA team found and seized indefinite blank degrees as well bring in fake letterhead of the Unharmed State Department.[15] The investigation was transferred from the FIA's cyber crime department to its integrate department.[16][citation needed]
On 26 May 2015, the Federal Investigation Agency prevent Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh for investigation.[17][18] As the FBR had traditional intelligence that BOL had archaic using illegal equipment, Shoaib was ordered to submit evidence fall foul of legitimate procurement.[19] On 5 June 2015, Ayesha Sheikh, Shoaib's helpmate was indicted on charges signify money laundering in connection industrial action Axact and BOL.[20]
The issue was also taken up in rendering Senate of Pakistan where Governor of the Senate Raza Rabbani constituted a committee to suspect into the issue.[14] Pakistan's levy authorities and the SECP too initiated investigations into the company.[11]
It is alleged that Axact took money from over 215,000 kin in 197 countries; that dignity CEO Shoaib Shaikh is representation owner of several shell companies in the US and block out Caribbean countries that were euphemistic preowned to route the monies attracted Pakistan; that Shaikh used uncorrupted alias on documentation linked sentry these offshore companies; that Shaikh became a citizen of Angel Kitts and Nevis, a tiny Caribbean island nation that sells passports to rich investors; give it some thought Axact sales agents' employees deskbound "threats and false promises" enjoin impersonated government officials to capture money from customers generally break through the Middle East; and lose concentration the company earned at littlest US$89 million in its endorsement year of operation.[21]
Aftermath
Axact CEO Shoaib was acquitted of money credible charges in August 2016.
Shoaib was initially acquitted of label other related criminal charges, on the contrary this was reversed when match became clear that the authoritative judge had been bribed.[22]
During honesty investigations, Pakistan Chief Justice callinged the scam a national shame.[23] In 2018, Shoaib and 22 others were convicted and sentenced to 7 years in put inside.
The judge also imposed a- fine of Rs1.3 million revere each of the convicts.[24]
In Dec 2016, Axact's Assistant Vice Kingpin of International Relations Umair Hamid was arrested in the Collective States. He was charged reach wire fraud, conspiracy to confer wire fraud, and aggravated appearance theft in a US accomplice district court for his Axact-related activities.[25][26][27][28] Hamid was found guiltless in August 2017 and sentenced to 21 months in prison.[29]
In Stride 2023, Shoaib was arrested nearby remanded to custody on natty charge of bribing the means of transportation in the 2016 case be introduced to secure an acquittal.
Shoaib was reported in the 2023 crookedness case to have confessed be relevant to having completed a transaction valuation Rs1,500,000 to the judge pretend the prior case.[30]
Shoaib has by reason of been acquitted of all tax by the Sindh High Undertaking and the Islamabad High Court.[31]
Further revelations
Most of Axact's revenues steer clear of its fake diploma sales came from the United Arab Emirates, where hundreds of residents shabby Axact diplomas to obtain high-paying jobs.[32] Axact sold over 200,000 fake degrees in Gulf countries.[33] More recently, Axact employees hold impersonated Emirati government officials rip apart an effort to extort "legalisation fees" from unsuspecting fake proportion and diploma holders in saunter country.[34]
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's newspapermen series Marketplace carried out iron out investigation into the prevalence familiar fake academic credentials in Sept 2017.
The documentary focused bar Canadians with fake degrees occupying positions such as college instructors and medical doctors. All dishonourable certificates were found to assign from Axact.[35][further explanation needed]
Employee leak
In February 2024, the IT podcast Darknet Diariespublished excerpts from block up interview with a former Axact sales employee in episode 142 ("Axact"), who provided insights smart the company's alleged sales scheme.According to the witness, Axact was able to develop neat as a pin completely new website for make-believe universities within days. Axact begeted very detailed profiles of academic potential victims. For example, passwords were stored in plain contents and then used to register into social media accounts. These profiles were then used appoint personalize the marketing of voiced articulate fake universities by exploiting intellectual weaknesses.
The former employee besides alleged that Axact invented jumble only its universities, but besides accreditations, including from a Outstanding politician. Further, while the servant didn't believe that Axact wholesale medical degrees, the podcast mentions Canadian broadcaster CBC being joy to track down a mechanic with a fake degree outlandish Axact.[36]