UK finds Indian-origin Quack, prepares to send her to Jail

LONDON: A 58-year-old Indian-origin woman who posed as a doctor to dupe elderly people into engaging her services for a fee has been convicted of seven counts of fraud by false representation and three counts of supplying a prescription-only medicinal product by a UK court.

Kamlesh Bassi used different aliases to pretend to be a qualified medical doctor, a nurse, an occupational therapist, a physiotherapist, an osteopath and a chiropractor, Warwick Crown Court was told at a hearing last week.

She targeted elderly people and persuaded them to hire her as a medical professional, also offering services as a masseuse and household help.

"Bassi deliberately targeted vulnerable individuals. By lying about her credentials she abused their trust, gained access into their homes and potentially put their lives at risk by supplying Naproxen without knowing their medical history," said Hannah Sidaway, a Specialist Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in West Midlands.

The drug Naproxen, a pain relief medication supplied to three of the victims, were Bassi's own prescription tablets and the court was told about the dangerous consequences it could have had on the victims.

"Bassi acted selfishly for her own financial gain. She was a danger to the public and especially the most vulnerable individuals in our society. Her conviction serves as a reminder that those who fraudulently offer medical services will be robustly prosecuted by the CPS," Sidaway said.

Bassi, from the city of Coventry, targeted people across the West Midlands region of England. She has been remanded in custody after being found guilty last Friday and will be sentenced at a hearing on May 5.