After detectives in Cumbria had previously investigated Zholia Alemi, 60, for other crimes she had committed, she had already been sentenced to time served.
She was put on trial at Manchester Crown Court for a second string of offenses.
She was found guilty of 13 counts of fraud, three counts of obtaining a financial advantage through deception, two counts of forgery, and two counts of using a false instrument following the most recent trial.
She was given a seven-year prison sentence by the judge in the case.
Alemi, who used to live in Scaw Road, High Harrington, Workington, went to the UK's General Medical Council (GMC) in 1995 with a lot of fake documents and got registered as a doctor.
A degree certificate, a verification letter, and letters of recommendation from a Pakistani hospital were among these.
After passing examinations administered by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, she obtained registration and practiced in Northern Ireland and Manchester before attaining consultant status in 2003.
In 2012, Alemi worked as a section 12 practitioner, a position with authority over section patients.
Alemi practiced for a number of years across the United Kingdom before moving to Cumbria, where she was discovered by detectives in the west of the county in response to concerns raised by Cumbria Adult Social Care safeguarding leads.
A local newspaper reporter became interested in the case after the defendant was found guilty in 2018 of attempting to defraud a wealthy elderly client of £1.3 million.
He contacted Alemi's alleged alma mater, the University of Auckland, on his own to inquire about her credentials. After that, it was determined that Alemi had never actually been licensed as a doctor.
A significant international investigation was launched with the assistance of partners in the NHS Counter Fraud Authority and led by detectives from west Cumbria.
A forged university certificate was seized after properties in England and Northern Ireland were searched by police.
Additionally, inquiries revealed that the Pakistani hospital Alemi used as a reference never existed. In New Zealand and the United Kingdom, numerous inquiries and investigations followed.
Alemi was brought back before the court, where she was sentenced today, as the investigation continued.
The case's senior investigator was Detective Superintendent Matt Scott.
He said, speaking after the sentence, " This was a very unusual case in which a skilled fraud was committed and maintained over several years.
"Alemi is a criminal manipulator who, despite never having obtained the most fundamental qualification to begin her career, fraudulently obtained a crucial position in the health care industry with significant responsibilities for people's lives.
“I would like to express my gratitude to Phil Coleman, a journalist for the News & Star, for his diligent coverage of this case and his initial inquiries, which he promptly passed on to us.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to my dedicated detectives, the NHS CFA team, and the CPS prosecution team for their extensive work in assembling a solid case for the court and ensuring that justice is done.
In addition, "I would like to thank the cooperation of the various health partners in the NHS, GMC, and other," who we have liaised with throughout this investigation and who have been invaluable in helping us reach the stage where we are today on conviction and guaranteeing that Alemi will never again be able to call herself a "doctor."
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