A FAKE doctor whose fraudulent career in the UK continued undetected for 22 years is now likely to be stripped of her illegally obtained earnings.

According the prosecutors, Zholia Alemi earned more than £1m as she worked for NHS employers and private health providers at locations around the country, including in west Cumbria where she was a locum psychiatrist.

With the fraudster now serving a seven year jail term, detectives will assess what assets she has and what can be seized. A judge will then make an order under Proceeds of Crime legislation.

Despite overwhelming evidence that she never qualified as a doctor, Alemi had denied 20 allegations of fraud. She was convicted after a trial a Manchester Crown Court, which was told that police found a “forger’s kit” in a cupboard under the stairs of a house owned by the defendant in Northern Ireland.

Prosecutor Chris Stables told the court that police found numerous “incriminating” documents in the property. They included practice versions of the medical degree certificate she submitted to the UK’s General Medical Council.

Even Alemi’s age was shrouded in confusion, with documentation she had provided including different dates of birth. She told jurors that her actual date of birth was December 23, 1960, making her 62.

Mr Stables said Alemi worked continuously during her 22 year bogus career, at locations from one end of the country to another.

“All of those positions,” said the prosecutor, “and of course the income obtained from them were obtained on the basis of her fraudulent representation that  she was a fully qualified doctor. It’s a conservative estimate that her net income as a result of the fraud was between £1.1m and £1.3m.”

The frauds had a serious detrimental impact on numerous NHS trusts and other healthcare providers, said Mr Stables. A second aggravating feature was the wider community impact, with patients having been “at least put at risk."

Mr Stables said the Crown Prosecution Service would pursue the defendant’s fraudulent obtained assets, including three properties, parcels of land in Bolton and Warrington, and a former church. The barrister set out various dates for the legal process of assessing and seizing Alemi’s assets, with a final decision expected in August.

Francis FitzGibbon KC said the quality of the care provided by Alemi during her time working illegally as a doctor was not relevant to the sentencing exercise. “It may be, in the future, that those issues will have to be resolved,” he said.

The barrister told the court that Alemi had complained about the “harsh” conditions in prison and that her particular presentation may be one which was likely to cause her difficulties when interacting with other prisoners.

Mr FitzGibbon added: “Prison for someone with her characteristics is particularly onerous... She’s alone effectively in this country; her family are all abroad. She is a very isolated figure as well as having her particular idiosyncrasies.”

Judge Hilary Manley told the defendant: “I have had the opportunity to observe you during the course of this four week trial.

“I have seen letters in which reference to your autism is mentioned, although I have not been provided with a formal diagnosis, and you will recall that measures were put in place to assist you at trial.

“Your autism however does not preclude you from also being highly manipulative and cunning. I also note that during the trial, through your lawyers, you sought to portray almost every prosecution witness as inept or dishonest, and called into question the integrity and impartiality of an expert witness.

“You are of course not to be punished for that, but I am entitled to take it into account when assessing whether you have any remorse – you do not; or insight  - you have none.”

Repeatedly raising her hand to attract the attention of her barrister, Alemi sat for most of the hearing with her head in her hands. She was sobbing as she was led away to begin her sentence.

After the trial, it was confirmed that Alemi’s disciplinary career was littered with example of her dishonesty. The GMC investigated NINE complaints against her, with the allegations including rudeness to patients, failing to disclose she was accused of assaulting a police officer, and inappropriate prescribing.

In 2010, she was investigated for falsifying her CV and illegally assuming the authority to detain patients for compulsory treatment.