A Queensland Australia woman has been convicted for making $90k issuing fake COVID-19 exemption certificates while pretending to be a qualified medical doctor.

Maria Carmela Pau pleaded guilty on Wednesday to multiple counts of taking a title, name, word or description to indicate she was a health practitioner to issue more than 1,000 fake exemption forms to residents claiming it would prevent them from needing to wear a mask, take a PCR test or get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The known antiVaxxer, runs an online charity and works as a “spiritual insights” and recovery coach supporting patients in addiction recovery. She does not have a doctorate in medicine, but instead a research doctorate, and is not registered with the Australian Health Practitioner’s Regulation Agency or Medicare.

Pau was arrested and charged at a Labrador address in October last year following a tip off from a concerned member of the public.