WASHINGTON: A dual Pakistani and British citizen has been sentenced to six years in a US federal court for selling false remedies for incurable diseases.
Mustafa Hasan Arif, 37, collected more than $12.8 million by selling his drugs to more than 100,000 victims around the globe. He had established more than 1,500 websites to hawk his merchandise of false hopes that he said could cure many incurable diseases, such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and emphysema.
Prosecutors said Arif used falsified cure rates, false clinical research and fabricated testimonials to persuade his victims to buy the drugs. In October 2016, Arif pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. More than 93,000 people purchased his drugs in the United States alone.
Arif told the court that he provided his customers with herbal remedies that he truly believes in, but the judge said he showed little remorse for his actions.
Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2017
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.