Fake doctor made $90,000
A SELF-STYLED “spiritual insights coach” pretended to be a doctor to provide about 1200 fake Covid-19 exemption certificates.
Maria Carmela Pau claimed the $75 certificates gave exemption to wearing a mask, getting a vaccine and/ or taking a PCR coronavirus test.
She made at least $90,000 from the certificates.
Pau claimed she thought she could issue the certificates as she has a doctorate in professional research studies and a masters degree in public health. Neither of those qualifications are medical practice degrees.
The 46-year-old pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court to taking a title, name, word or description indicating a person is a health practitioner between July 23 to October 14, 2021.
Magistrate Mark Bamberry fined Pau $25,000. No conviction was recorded.
“The purposes of the vaccine mandates, the masks and testing was to protect the greater Queensland community,” he said.
“Whether you accepted that or not, that was the law in place at the time.”
Magistrate Bamberry said he did not record a conviction so it did not hinder her getting a job.
Prosecutor Donn Reid told the court police were given a tip in September last year about the fake certificates.
Their investigations, which included a raid on Pau’s Labrador home, uncovered certificates that had been given to 1200 people for $75 a pop.
Mr Reid read a little from Pau’s referral message in which she referred to the coronavirus mandates as “illegal”.
“The defendant does refer to several negative effects of this vaccine and also making comments about how ‘we have to stand against this tyranny’,” he said.
Mr Reid said she had shown no remorse.
“The contempt shown at the time makes it quite clear that the defendant doesn’t agree with the mandates and they do spread that misinformation to the community which they did for a profit,” he said.
Mr Reid said Pau’s conduct “added fuel to the fire”.
Defence barrister Gregory McGuire, instructed by Janke Lawyers, said Pau had completed the doctorate in professional research studies so was entitled to use the title “doctor”.
He said she also had qualifications in public health which led her to believe she was entitled to provide the certificates and saw the need.
“She had formed her own opinions from her own research and knowledge and was clearly passionate about the topics,” Mr McGuire said.
“As history has documented, many people were very concerned about being forced to have injections which were not safe enough and not proven to be effective.”
Mr McGuire said Pau had “good intentions” and “turned a blind eye” to the view the certificates were to be provided by a medical doctor. He told the court that the demand for the certificates left Pau overwhelmed and became her sole income.
Mr McGuire said she conducted half-hour video consultations with each of the certificate recipients.
He said the large amount of publicity the case had received had destroyed Pau’s counselling business and hurt her ability to get a job.
Pau also goes by the name of Maria Power and runs an online business called Coaching with Substance. She has described herself as a “spiritual insights” coach.