Banned estate agent Bobby Singh gets suspended jail term after guilty plea

[Premi5]

Banned estate agent Bobby Singh gets suspended jail term after guilty plea

Amerjit Singh Dhuga, known as Bobby Singh, was convicted for unlawfully acting as an estate agent while banned.

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/banned-estate-agent-bobby-singh-21411498

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A banned West Midlands estate agent has been given a suspended custodial sentence after pleading guilty to unlawfully engaging in estate agency work over four years.

Amerjit Singh Dhuga, known as 'Bobby Singh' of Love Your Postcode, was today (Aug 26) sentenced to a custodial sentence of six weeks suspended for two years, and fined £4,000 at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

An investigation by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team revealed Dhuga was playing an active part in running the estate agency business despite being banned from engaging in estate agency work in 2013.

His clients were unaware of the ban, and investigators say they would likely not have instructed Love Your Postcode Limited to provide estate agency work if they had known this fact.

Dhuga's offences spanned over four years between August 2016, and November 2020, with the investigation finding that Love Your Postcode Limited provided valuations to several consumers which were lower than the “For Sale” price, often to the sum of £10,000 less, to which Love Your Postcode Limited would retain as a “Performance Fee” as well as the usual commission.

 

Love Your Postcode Limited also pleaded guilty to breaching professional diligence requirements by failing to declare to customers that Dhuga could not lawfully undertake estate agency work.

The company has been fined £16,000 which was reduced to £12,000 because of its early guilty pleas.

Last year Dhuga, aged 41, of Oldbury, whose face has adorned billboards and advertising signs across the West Midlands to promote his company, made national news after he called an NHS nurse 'low-level trash' in a row over free accommodation, filming a series of videos in which he also referred to her as a 'koothi', a Punjabi word which translates as '<banned word filter activated>'.

And, speaking today following the sentencing, Chair of National Trading Standards Lord Toby Harris said: “Buying or renting a home is a major financial transaction for people and it is important that the public can rely on legitimate estate agents to provide a professional service," he said.

"Working as an estate agent while banned is against the law and we will take action against dishonest fraudsters who try to con the public.

"This investigation demonstrates the vital role of the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency team in protecting consumers and safeguarding legitimate practice within the estate agency sector.”

 

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/estate-agency-boss-bobby-singh-18372343

Estate agency boss Bobby Singh called Birmingham nurse 'low level trash' after free flat complaint

Bobby Singh posted verbal attack on nurse Daani Evans online after she complained about his Oldbury company, Love Your Postcode

n estate agency boss who promised free accommodation to NHS workers called a Birmingham nurse 'low level trash' after she complained about his company.

And Love Your Postcode CEO Bobby Singh also labelled Daani Evans a 'koothi' in a Facebook Live video - a Punjabi word which translates as '<banned word filter activated>'.

Mr Singh claims that koothi is a 'mild Punjabi word' that is not as offensive as the word '<banned word filter activated>'.

But the Queen Elizabeth Hospital nurse, 22, says the verbal attack has affected her mental health.

Nurse Daani Evans says her mental health has been impacted by the row with Love Your Postcode CEO Bobby Singh

Ms Evans, who has recently recovered from the Covid-19 virus, said: "It’s just horrible, it’s making my anxiety go through the roof. I don’t even want to go back to work.

"I’m not doing this for sympathy. I just want other people not to be put in this position."

 

Mr Singh referred our reporter to his lawyer who did not respond to our questions.

But the businessman broadcast a phone call with our journalist live on Facebook in which he claimed the words he used to describe Ms Evans were 'mild Punjabi words' that are not as offensive as '<banned word filter activated>'.

Oldbury-based Love Your Postcode made headlines in March by offering free accommodation to 50 NHS workers during the coronavirus crisis.

Ms Evans took up the offer by moving into an Olbury flat for eight weeks.

But she posted a Facebook complaint on May 22, having left the flat two days earlier, calling Love Your Postcode a 'p**s take' and urging friends and family to 'steer well clear of them.'

She claimed she had been given just a week's notice to leave the property in a text from Mr Singh and that the flat was unfurnished when she moved in, with no bed. Mr Singh claims she was made aware the flat was unfurnished.

Ms Evans also alleged her personal details had been passed to media organisations without her permission, which Mr Singh denies, and claimed she had to wait two days for the return of her deposit.

Her complaints sparked the response from Mr Singh, who broadcast three Facebook Live videos about Ms Evans between May 22 and May 28.

Switching between speaking English and Punjabi, he at one point called the nurse a 'koothi' (<banned word filter activated>) in Punjabi.

He also said in English: "What low level trash are you? What low level person are you?"

Mr Singh referred to her supporters as 'dogs' and said: "Considering you don’t have anything to rub together, you should be grateful somebody’s giving you something for free."

The businessman also told Ms Evans 'not to rock the apple cart', adding: "The whole of your National Trust will know about it, every single person, every single nurse, every single doctor will know who you are. That's how far we can take it."

The videos were broadcast by Mr Singh, 40, across two Facebook groups with more than 18,000 followers.

At one point he said he would make Ms Evans the 'face' of his free NHS accommodation campaign by featuring her on the company's digital screens and billboards. "Why don't we make her famous?" he said.

Ms Evans said: "After I did my post he did a 40 minute live Facebook video having a go at me, speaking in English one minute and Punjabi the next, and saying about how I couldn’t understand Punjabi," she said.

"And he basically said... I’m gonna put her on my billboards that I advertise on, I’m gonna put her face on there.

"Obviously I was upset, and I was angry, because while many people are believing my side of the story, some people still don’t.

"It’s horrible going into work everyday as it is, you don’t know what you’re gonna walk into.

"The whole reason of having these apartments to go back to is to have somewhere to have a rest and a chillout and not worry about work and stuff. But then obviously now I’ve got to worry about this on top."

During the broadcast call with our reporter, Mr Singh claimed he was 'retaliating' to Ms Evans' complaint after she had posted 'negative things' and 'false information' about his company.

The businessman claimed it was made clear to the nurse that she would be moving into an unfurnished flat. He insisted that he had passed on her details to media organisations with her permission - and also claimed that her initial contract was for '14-30 days'.

Mr Singh added: "Bobby the Lion turned around and dealt with a troll... I put her in her place."

He also stated Ms Evans had never voiced any complaints directly to him during her eight-week free stay in one of his apartments.

[GurjantGnostic]

What can I say? I kinda like Bobby Singh. 

[Premi5]

2 minutes ago, GurjantGnostic said:

What can I say? I kinda like Bobby Singh. 

You like his appearance? I do too !

But he has a record for deceit. And he chose the wrong woman to mess with!

[GurjantGnostic]

1 minute ago, Premi5 said:

You like his appearance? I do too !

But he has a record for deceit. And he chose the wrong woman to mess with!

I don't know about his women folk, but doing a good job at something without a license isn't as bad as doing a poor job with a license, and that nurse looked and sounded like a narcissistic wreck before she came anywhere near his free rent. 

[Premi5]

1 minute ago, GurjantGnostic said:

 that nurse looked and sounded like a narcissistic wreck before she came anywhere near his free rent. 

Yes agreed, that's what I meant he chose the wrong woman to mess with

He should have been screening his tenants 

[GurjantGnostic]

5 minutes ago, Premi5 said:

Yes agreed, that's what I meant he chose the wrong woman to mess with

He should have been screening his tenants 

No good deed goes unpinished. 

[Premi5]

8 minutes ago, GurjantGnostic said:

but doing a good job at something without a license isn't as bad as doing a poor job with a license

What you think? Would you want to be treated by an unqualified Nurse or Doctor etc?

New Zealanders seem to be easily duped 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fake-psychiatrist-who-forged-us-degree-says-he-was-qualified-for-waikato-hospital-job/KJ7G5F5T6Y2EG55HDQOQ2X7SAA/

Fake psychiatrist who forged US degree says he was qualified for Waikato Hospital job

8 May, 2019 12:35 AM4 minutes to read

Mohammed Shakeel Siddiqui puported to have an American degree in psychiatry and neurology and was earning more than $165,000 a year. Photo / David Kerr

By: Sam Hurley

New Zealand Herald business journalist

sam.hurley@nzherald.co.nz@SamuelPHurley

 

A man who masqueraded as an American-educated psychiatrist before working at one of New Zealand's biggest hospitals, earning more than $165,000 per year, says he was qualified for the job.

Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui, who was arrested in July 2015 with the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), today challenged his convictions and sentence in the Court of Appeal.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to four charges of deception and forgery and was sentenced to four years and three months in prison after he conned his way into a job at Waikato Hospital in January 2015.

He has since been deported to his native India.

Throughout the case, Siddiqui has chopped and changed through several different lawyers and today was represented by David Allan.

Allan said Siddiqui gained a doctorate in engineering from the University of Arizona in 1992 and also obtained a medical degree in 2008.

He said Siddiqui's claim of right was that he was appropriately qualified for the Waikato District Health Board role.

New Zealand Police investigations found Siddiqui is a qualified doctor but had dramatically lied about his specialist qualifications to acquire the job.

Previous trial counsel error and Siddiqui being overwhelmed by pressure from counsel, the court and judge led to premature guilty pleas, Allan said.

Crown Law argued Siddiqui's convictions should not be overturned because his plea was entered voluntarily, he was properly informed by his counsel, and hasn't identified any tenable defence to the charges.

Siddiqui earlier sought to vacate his pleas but the application was rejected by Judge Glen Marshall.

The court heard today the plea negotiation was Siddiqui's idea before Judge Marshall later ruled he had entered his guilty pleas without undue pressure.

 

A further nine charges were withdrawn at Siddiqui's sentencing.

The Court of Appeal judges, Justices Patricia Courtney, Graham Lang and Christian Whata, reserved their decision.

Court documents, earlier obtained by the Herald, show Siddiqui attempted to work in New Zealand in 2012 but was turned down by International Medical Recruitment (IMR) because of his lack of qualifications.

Two years later he tried again - this time with fake documentation - and was successful.

Siddiqui, who purported to be a psychiatrist, obtained an original copy of a degree in psychiatry and neurology from by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).

The qualification, however, had been awarded to another man with a similar name, Dr Mohammed Shafiuddin Siddiqui.

 

He is an assistant professor in psychiatry at Southern Illinois University of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois.

Because of Siddiqui's lies he was paid a salary by the Waikato DHB of at least $165,000 after being granted a job on January 19, 2015.

During his five months in the job he also claimed expenses worth $4883.64, excluding relocation costs and flights.

He was also able to prescribe medication to mental health patients.

Mohamed Shakeel Siddiqui was sentenced to four years and three months in prison. Photo / Pool

Court documents show Siddiqui provided three references with his CV, but investigations by the New Zealand Police and the FBI proved them to be fake.

None of the named referees worked at the hospitals named by Siddiqui, nor had he been employed by them either.

 

The Waikato DHB was given one oral reference by a Dr Mohan Nataraj, however, when double checked the phone number was associated with Siddiqui's brother.

Because of the fraud, the ABPN has tightened its protocol about what information can be obtained from its website.

Siddiqui's forged documents included a State of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation certificate licence and an ABPN certificate to obtain a NZ Medical Council vocational licence.

During the court case, Siddiqui was remanded in custody from December 2015 after he was arrested at Auckland International Airport seemingly trying to flee the country.

Despite earlier surrendering his passport to New Zealand authorities he was able to obtain a new passport and bought a one-way ticket to Houston.

At sentencing, Siddiqui told the court of the hardship his two children, who live in the United States, would face if he was deported back to India.

 

"I have no one to go back to in India," he said.

"The system is designed to protect the family and that's what I want to do. If I have a sentence of over two years the chances of me returning to the US are nil."

Siddiqui has a permanent prohibition on returning to New Zealand and outcome of the appeal will also affect his ability to return to America.

 

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-46258687

Zholia Alemi: Foreign doctor checks after fake psychiatrist case

Published

19 November 2018

Some 3,000 foreign doctors in the UK are being urgently checked after a woman practised psychiatry for 22 years without any qualifications.

New Zealander Zholia Alemi falsely claimed to have a medical degree from Auckland university when she registered in the UK in the 1995.

But she had actually dropped out of medical school in her first year.

The General Medical Council (GMC) - the doctors' watchdog - has apologised for its "inadequate" checks in the 1990s.

The GMC - which decides whether a doctor is qualified to practise in the UK - said it was sorry for "any risk arising to patients as a result" and that it was confident its current processes are "far stronger".

Alemi was jailed for fraud in October after she faked a dementia patient's will in an attempt to inherit her £1.3m estate.

Now, following an investigation by Cumbria newspaper the News and Star, a review has been triggered.

The licences of potentially thousands of doctors are being looked at.

Who is Zholia Alemi?

When registering in the UK in 1995, Alemi claimed to have a medical degree from the University of Auckland - which she did not have.

But her false medical qualification was only discovered after she was convicted of fraud and theft in October 2018 after taking advantage of a vulnerable patient.

Alemi, who was working as a consultant psychiatrist for a dementia service in west Cumbria at the time, redrafted the patient's will and fraudulently applied for power of attorney.

IMAGE SOURCEBBC/CRAIG MCGLASSON

image captionZholia Alemi was found guilty of four theft and fraud charges after a week-long trial

When asked by police whether Alemi had assisted with her financial affairs, the victim said: "I think she just helped herself."

The judge described her crimes as "wicked".

She denied the charges but was found guilty at Carlisle Crown Court and jailed for five years.

Alemi lost her job after being arrested in 2016 and was suspended by the medical tribunal service in June 2017.

How did she become an NHS doctor?

The GMC said Alemi was allowed to join the UK's medical register under a section of the Medical Act which has not been in force since 2003.

The act meant medical school graduates from certain Commonwealth countries - like New Zealand - were allowed to join the register on the basis of the qualification they obtained at home.

They did not have to sit and pass the standard two-part medical test that foreign doctors normally have to pass before they can work in the UK - the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board exam (PLAB).

What is the GMC doing now?

The GMC said its checks are now more "rigorous" and stronger than they were. The council said that now any similar fraudulent attempts to join the medical register would be identified.

But the records of up to 3,000 doctors - who registered for a licence under the same rules as Alemi - are now being urgently reviewed.

The GMC said it was not expecting to find anything untoward.

Charlie Massey, the GMC's chief executive, called it a "serious" issue and said the police and other agencies including NHS England have been informed.

"We are confident that, 23 years on, our systems are robust and would identify any fraudulent attempt to join the medical register."

The GMC said patients place a great deal of trust in doctors, and "to exploit that trust and the respected name of the profession is abhorrent".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: "As the organisation responsible for regulating doctors, we expect the GMC to investigate how this criminal was able to register as a doctor and put measures in place to make sure it can't happen again."

What should concerned patients do?

The GMC has created a web page with advice for anyone who is concerned that they were treated by Alemi.

It urges anyone who was treated by her to contact the GP surgery, hospital or clinic where they received treatment.

[GurjantGnostic]

No I wouldn't. But I would prefer the veterinarian that takes out my appendix and doesn't kill me to the surgeon who's table I never get off of. 

What I'm saying is while practicing without license is not okay, at least Bobby was doing a good job as a knowledgeable,  if not licensed person. And doing realestate not surgery. 

I mean who's bridge stays up? The engineer if he gets the math wrong or the amature engineer that gets it right?

Neither here nor there. No doctors without licenses, but Bobby was doing fine. 

[GurjantGnostic]

And I've seen plenty of medical staff who may very well have a degree but very little business praticing medicine. 

So not wanting to risk having unqualified people practice on me I Jaap Naam and don't go to anyone. I feel my chances are best that way. 

[GurjantGnostic]

Point taken though.