Pakistani is jailed for 21 months for fraud

NEW YORK, NY — Umair Hamid was sentenced to 21 months in prison for his role in an international diploma mill scheme operated through the Pakistani company Axact.

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,” said Joon Kim, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Hamid pled guilty on April 6, 2017, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents, Hamid helped run a massive diploma mill through his employer, Axact, one of the world’s leading information technology providers.

Hamid and his co-conspirators deceived individuals across the world and the US 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 but instead, consumers received no instruction and worthless diplomas.