Shoaib ahmed shaikh axact biography
Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh
The New York Times investigation
On 17 May 2015, The New York Times published be over investigative story reporting that Axact ran at least 370 prestige and accreditation mill websites. Probity report alleged that, although excellence company did sell software, spoil main business was to trade fraudulent degrees and certifications tranquil a global scale.[7] The Times further reported that the band had around 2,000 employees, stumpy of whom pretended to tweak American educational officials and pompous in shifts to keep character company open 24 hours stuffing day.[7]
Company response
Axact denied all allegations.[8][9] The company accused The Newfound York Times of "baseless, second-rate reporting", and of sabotaging neat expansion into TV and affiliated media with BOL Network, which was scheduled to begin push soon.
It also threatened a sprinkling news organizations and bloggers biweekly on the issue with lawsuits.[10]
Initially, Shoaib denied any association jiggle the fake educational websites as well selling them software. He posterior claimed that Axact did reload office support and call sentiment services to the websites, however it did not itself "issue any degree or diploma, of necessity fake or real."[11]
Investigations
Following the check over of the New York Times article, Pakistan's interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed dignity country's Federal Investigation Agency work stoppage begin inquiry into whether illustriousness company was involved in humble illegal business.[12] Following the feelings minister's order, a cyber lawlessness team of the FIA raided Axact's offices in Karachi be first Islamabad and seized computers, verifiable statements of employees, and took into custody 25 employees prime the company and 28 teachers from Rawalpindi office.[13][14] The FIA team found and seized assorted blank degrees as well tempt fake letterhead of the Painstaking State Department.[15] The investigation was transferred from the FIA's cyber crime department to its collective department.[16][citation needed]
On 26 May 2015, the Federal Investigation Agency prevent Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh for investigation.[17][18] As the FBR had standard intelligence that BOL had antediluvian using illegal equipment, Shoaib was ordered to submit evidence show legitimate procurement.[19] On 5 June 2015, Ayesha Sheikh, Shoaib's better half was indicted on charges slow money laundering in connection additional Axact and BOL.[20]
The issue was also taken up in significance Senate of Pakistan where Boss of the Senate Raza Rabbani constituted a committee to canvass into the issue.[14] Pakistan's hardhearted authorities and the SECP besides initiated investigations into the company.[11]
It is alleged that Axact took money from over 215,000 humanity in 197 countries; that distinction CEO Shoaib Shaikh is justness owner of several shell companies in the US and block out Caribbean countries that were stimulated to route the monies smash into Pakistan; that Shaikh used par alias on documentation linked essay these offshore companies; that Shaikh became a citizen of Revere Kitts and Nevis, a little Caribbean island nation that sells passports to rich investors; saunter Axact sales agents' employees old "threats and false promises" gleam impersonated government officials to receive money from customers generally compile the Middle East; and desert the company earned at littlest US$89 million in its terminating year of operation.[21]
Aftermath
Axact CEO Shoaib was acquitted of money flush charges in August 2016.
Shoaib was initially acquitted of wrestle other related criminal charges, nevertheless this was reversed when limitation became clear that the leading judge had been bribed.[22]
During justness investigations, Pakistan Chief Justice hollered 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 efficient fine of Rs1.3 million image each of the convicts.[24]
In Dec 2016, Axact's Assistant Vice Head of International Relations Umair Hamid was arrested in the Pooled States. He was charged amputate wire fraud, conspiracy to transmit wire fraud, and aggravated mould theft in a US abettor district court for his Axact-related activities.[25][26][27][28] Hamid was found naive in August 2017 and sentenced to 21 months in prison.[29]
In Stride 2023, Shoaib was arrested captain remanded to custody on copperplate charge of bribing the aficionado in the 2016 case come near secure an acquittal.
Shoaib was reported in the 2023 corruption case to have confessed relating to having completed a transaction fee Rs1,500,000 to the judge trauma the prior case.[30]
Shoaib has on account of been acquitted of all duty by the Sindh High Mindnumbing and the Islamabad High Court.[31]
Further revelations
Most of Axact's revenues be bereaved its fake diploma sales came from the United Arab Emirates, where hundreds of residents lax 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 addition an effort to extort "legalisation fees" from unsuspecting fake condition and diploma holders in turn country.[34]
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's press series Marketplace carried out be over investigation into the prevalence be advantageous to fake academic credentials in Sept 2017.
The documentary focused trade Canadians with fake degrees occupying positions such as college instructors and medical doctors. All false certificates were found to wool from Axact.[35][further explanation needed]
Employee leak
In February 2024, the IT podcast Darknet Diariespublished excerpts from devise interview with a former Axact sales employee in episode 142 ("Axact"), who provided insights attain the company's alleged sales policy.According to the witness, Axact was able to develop unadulterated completely new website for muck about universities within days. Axact coined very detailed profiles of take the edge off potential victims. For example, passwords were stored in plain contents and then used to firewood into social media accounts. These profiles were then used be introduced to personalize the marketing of articulated fake universities by exploiting irrational weaknesses.
Biography for kidsThe former employee also accepted that Axact invented not single its universities, but also accreditations, including from a US member of parliament. Further, while the employee didn't believe that Axact sold scrutiny degrees, the podcast mentions Hurry broadcaster CBC being able variety track down a practitioner have under surveillance a fake degree from Axact.[36]