Last Man Standing: Justice for Dr. Atif Malik
by Bennett McPhatter
The Project Sentinel Accountability Project seeks to right the wrongs of judicial malfeasance. Such a case of abuse is that against Dr. Atif Malik, a Harvard-educated physician and respected humanitarian who emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan. Dr. Malik set up an honest medical practice but soon would find himself in prison after informing the federal government of wrongdoing by people he hired to maintain his company’s finances. One would think Dr. Malik’s honesty would have been appreciated; instead, the longtime caregiver and humanitarian was rendered a victim of a blatant miscarriage of justice. The London Center Accountability Project has joined forces with the Full Story Foundation and Dr. Malik’s family in the effort to free him and overturn the unjust conviction.
Dr. Malik dedicated himself to his profession and his patients. A man of faith and honor, his American dream suddenly turned into a tragic nightmare after doing what an honorable person would feel bound to do. While one might think such a man would be thanked for reporting major financial crimes to the federal government, Dr. Malik – the whistleblower – continues to serve an eight-year prison sentence for those infractions while the true perpetrators continue to walk freely.
Dr. Malik is one of many who have become victims of overzealous, often corrupt, prosecutors and a broken judicial system looking to pad stats instead of seeking true justice.
THE STORY:
Focused on helping people, Doctor Atif Malik left the financial arrangement of a medical practice built by he and his partner, Dr. Sandeep Sherlekar, to two fellow immigrants who were adept at technology and bookkeeping. They took advantage of his trusting nature and embezzled large sums of money. When the doctor learned of accounting discrepancies, he immediately informed the Federal authorities, whom began an investigation during which one of the two thieves (the CFO) used the stolen funds to hire an attorney.
After both doctors were indicted, Dr. Sherlekar committed suicide. The government prosecutor sided with the remaining thief, offering him a deal to turn against Dr. Malik as their primary “witness.” Although it was Dr. Malik who reported suspected criminal activity in his practice, he became the government’s target.
There was no evidence Dr. Malik was ever involved with the scheme. In fact, the government improperly relied on the interview forms (302 Reports) of a known-to-be corrupt FBI agent (Maura Lating), along with other techniques used to suppress evidence and other information favorable to the defense. The government succeeded in ensuring that the jury never heard about the CEO who fled the country (Muhammad Khan), about Dr. Sherlekar’s suicide, or about a finding in an earlier case that the same FBI agent destroyed evidence and lied under oath. They also made sure Dr. Malik would not be able to take the stand in his own defense; this is how the game is played. The prosecutors did not want the jury to see the information and the Judge did not allow the defense to invoke any of it. The jury was merely shown a business with a kickback scheme, they were manipulated into assuming guilt and thus convicted the owner of the business.
Officials and investigators found no wrongdoing within Dr. Malik’s medical practice; Dr. Malik self-reported potential violations the moment he discovered the people he trusted to oversee his business finances may have committed a crime. As the process unfolded, the American justice system didn’t just fail Dr. Malik – it was used as a weapon to manipulate and wrongfully attack him and his family.
Dr. Malik dedicated himself to his profession and his patients. A man of faith and honor, his American dream suddenly turned into a tragic nightmare after doing what an honorable person would feel bound to do.
The London Center Accountability Project is working to end such miscarriage of justice as it can happen to anyone. If abusive government prosecutors can use the system to jail and destroy people with support and financial resources, imagine how they can devastate those without the means to fight back. To do this, we need your help.
The Full Story Foundation produced documentary about Dr. Malik’s ordeal titled Last Man Standing: The United States v Atif Malik. The London Center Accountability Project is proud to join them in the fight to expose corruption, correct the record and give Dr. Malik the justice he deserves as a citizen of the United States.
Watch the Last Man Standing trailer
Watch the full documentary
Dr. Malik’s situation should be cause for alarm for every honest, law-abiding man and woman in America. Please help us work to raise awareness to judicial and prosecutorial abuse as well as resources to expose and work to end such corruption. If you would like to help us financially on these efforts with a donation, please click here.
