At Manchester Crown Court, Zholia Alemi was sentenced to prison for a series of fraud offences that shocked the medical community. Alemi had posed as a psychiatrist for over 20 years using fake documentation.

Alemi, originally from Iran, failed to complete her medical degree in New Zealand. Despite this, she forged certificates and secured a position in the UK’s health system, treating patients without valid qualifications.

The fraud unraveled when an investigative journalist contacted the University of Auckland, confirming that Alemi never graduated. The GMC, based in Manchester, was alerted, and subsequent investigations led to her conviction.

The court heard how Alemi manipulated vulnerable patients, even forging a will to inherit a widow's estate. Police searches uncovered numerous falsified documents, including degree certificates and reference letters.

Judge Manley criticized the GMC’s verification process in the 1990s, which she deemed insufficient. She called for a thorough inquiry into how Alemi's forgeries went unnoticed for so long.

The GMC has since reviewed the qualifications of other doctors admitted via the same route Alemi used, confirming their authenticity. Alemi's case highlights significant flaws in historical verification processes.