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Quote:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Charges Executive Of Axact In $140 Million Diploma Mill Scam
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, [et al], announced today the filing of a criminal Complaint charging UMAIR HAMID, a/k/a "Shah Khan,"? a/k/a the "Shah," with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a worldwide "diploma mill" scheme that collected at least approximately $140 million from tens of thousands of consumers. As alleged, HAMID and his co-conspirators made false and fraudulent representations to consumers on websites and over the phone to trick them into enrolling in purported colleges and high schools, and issued fake diplomas upon receipt of upfront fees from consumers. HAMID was arrested on December 19, 2016, and was presented yesterday in federal court in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. . . .
HamidComplaint.pdf (Size: 1.38 MB / Downloads: 8)
Actually not quite Cincinnati, but just south thereof in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. As discussed in further detail in the complaint (attached) the "suspect"? flew all the way from Pakistan, to Dubai, to New York, to DC, and then to that hotbed of glamour, excitement and intrigue, the Queen City itself, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Was Hamid just trying to find out if it's true what they say, that it's round on the end and high in the middle? (O-hi-O)?
After reading the complaint the motive is clear: the mysterious "cooperating witness" (referred to as "CW"?) had sold Almeda University to Hamid for ... (Dr. Evil voice) one million dollars! Hamid was opening a bank account for "Globemia Inc."? to facilitate fund transfers from his newly acquired business.
Looking at the map, we can see that Fort Mitchell is about half way between Covington, KY (just across the river from Cincinnati) and Erlanger, KY. Do we know anyone from Erlanger? Not saying any of this concerns any such person, but seems like an odd co-inky-dink that of all the magnificent metropolises in the US of A within which to open a bank account, Hamid would pick the one right down the road from our favorite non-traditional non-substantive education promoter.
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Globemia? Probably intended to be a combination of "global"? and "academia,"? but sounds more like some sort of disgusting blood disease. Doc, I've got globs in my blood, what do you think it might be?
So are you saying that RRH may be CW? You mean he's attempted to extricate his tit from the ringer by going over to the FBI side as an informant? Who says Klempner isn't relevant any more?
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08-29-2017, 07:06 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-29-2017, 07:17 PM by Yancy Derringer.)
Hamid gets 21 months. The world is a safer place.
Quote:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 28, 2017
Pakistani Man Sentenced To 21 Months In Prison In Axact Diploma Mill Scam
Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that UMAIR HAMID was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for his role in an international diploma mill scheme operated through the Pakistani company Axact. HAMID pled guilty on April 6, 2017, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. HAMID entered the guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who imposed today's sentence.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: "Umair Hamid and Axact operated a massive diploma mill that preyed on consumers who thought their tuition would pay for a college education. Instead, Hamid provided victims with worthless fake diplomas. Defendants like Hamid who profit from fake schools face very real penalties, including prison time."
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
HAMID helped run a massive diploma mill through his employer, Axact, which has held itself out as one of the world's leading information technology providers. HAMID and his co-conspirators deceived individuals across the world, including throughout the United States, into enrolling in supposed high schools, colleges, and universities. Consumers paid upfront fees, believing that in return they would be enrolled in real educational courses and, eventually, receive legitimate degrees. Instead, consumers received no instruction and worthless diplomas.
HAMID, who served most recently as Axact's Assistant Vice President of International Relations, helped Axact conduct the fraud in the United States, among other locations. On Axact's behalf, he served as the primary contact during negotiations with a former competitor for Axact's acquisition of websites for fake educational institutions. Under Axact's control, those websites then continued to deceive consumers into paying upfront enrollment fees for non-existent educational programs.
In May 2015, Pakistani authorities shut down Axact and arrested multiple individuals associated with the company for participating in the diploma mill operation. But HAMID, who was not arrested at that time, continued to work in furtherance of the fraudulent business, even personally traveling to the United States in 2016 to open a bank account used to collect money from defrauded consumers.
In addition to the prison term, HAMID, 31, of Karachi, Pakistan, was ordered to forfeit $5,303,020.
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Now hold up... is this a legitimate diploma mill or an unaccredited school that was targeted by the usual suspects.
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