STORY: "The far-reaching impact of Axact's misdeeds," by Aftab Arif Siddiqui, pulished by The Express Tribune, on June 5, 2015. (The writer is founder of the online Facebook forum “Dialogue of the
Civilisations” and is an independent analyst based in London.)
GIST: "The clues were in the name like a juicy riddle — hidden yet blatantly
obvious. A business whose activities were immoral and illegitimate. Yet
no one, including renowned investigative journalists who were guests of
honour at many of the firm’s extravagant annual meets, picked up the
clues. Let’s not forget they were among the few outsiders who enjoyed a
personal rapport with Mr Shaikh and had unique access to his otherwise
secretive business empire. Mr Shaikh used Axact’s platform to lecture his audiences on how the company would transform Pakistan. How Bol,
the TV channel, will cause a social revolution. Now he stands arrested —
accused of fraud and acquiring wealth by deception. Axact’s premises
were stuffed with blank foreign degrees, bogus authentication
certificates and other documentation, all now in the hands of the FIA as
evidence in the investigation into this multimillion dollar global
fraud.........The consequences of Axact’s crimes are far-reaching. Gene Morrison,
a UK citizen, obtained a bogus degree from Rochville University and its
associated concern Affordable Degrees — both fake establishments
allegedly linked to Axact. Morrison hoodwinked the UK justice system by
providing expert witness testimony as a highly-paid criminologist in
over 700 cases and gave forensic reports. He was discovered and
convicted of 20 charges of obtaining money and property by deception,
perverting the course of justice and perjury in 2007. Unfortunately, the
damage was done, his bogus degree and work giving him respectability in
his community and during the course of his work he was provided access
to vulnerable young girls whom he subsequently sexually assaulted. Once
the deception was revealed, many of his child victims who had been
afraid of complaining about him due to his social and professional
status came forward to give evidence. He was jailed for an indefinite
period for raping children as young as 10 and 11 years old. The girls
who suffered physical and mental torture at his hands are scarred for
life.........People might imagine that the criminal act of Axact of issuing bogus
degrees is a victim-less crime. This is clearly not the case. Gene
Morrison’s case is one among scores of similar cases and his victims are
very real. There are many more victims of bogus degrees and their
stories are yet to be told."
The entire story can be found at:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/897863/the-far-reaching-impact-of-axacts-misdeeds/
See also arrest story: "The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 17 executives of the Axact Islamabad zone and registered a case against its CEO Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, his wife Ayesha Shaikh, regional directors, mangers and operators over their involvement in issuing fake degrees, doing fraud and money laundering. According to the FIA, once the physical remand period of Shaoib Shaikh by the Karachi team is completed, the Islamabad FIA will arrest him and will request a physical remand in Islamabad case. The investigators said the accused represented fake local and international educational institutions and issued them fake degrees. They are also accused of money laundering."
http://tribune.com.pk/story/899667/in-islamabad-fia-arrests-17-more-axact-executives/
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
