Fraudster posed as doctor in UK for 19 years, court hears

Zholia Alemi allegedly forged qualifications despite failing medical degree and was paid up to 1.3m by NHS

A most accomplished fraudster" was paid between 1m and 1.3m by the NHS during the nearly two decades she posed as a qualified doctor after forging a degree certificate, a court has heard.

Zholia Alemi, believed to be 60 years old, worked as a psychiatrist in the UK for 19 years after claiming to have qualified at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, a trial at Manchester crown court heard.