TikTok ‘Doctor’ Who Gave Advice About Cancer, Sexual Health Revealed To Be Total Fraud

An Australian social media influencer parading as a doctor on TikTok and Instagram pleaded guilty on Wednesday to being a total phony. 

Dayla Karezi, 30, claimed that the charade all started with a lie to impress a new friend, and then spiraled out of control. 

Karezi, who has no medical experience and had no prior criminal record, regularly published videos and provided advice to her 243,000 TikTok followers and 20,000 followers on Instagram between 2019 and 2021. Her 56 videos on TikTok have been viewed 1.5 million times, according to the Daily Mail. 

The fake doc, who often used the hashtag #doctor on her posts and posted under the handle @Dr.Dayla.s, offered advice on topics ranging from fertility issues to ovarian cancer, and HIV to COVID — despite not having no qualifications to do so, according to The Sun. 

Karezi pleaded guilty to impersonating a doctor and pretending to be a medical specialist, according to the Daily Mail.

At Downing Centre Court in Sydney, Karezi expressed remorse for misleading her trusting followers, who looked to her for information. In a 1,400-word letter of apology to the victims, she expressed that she was “crying and still struggling” to understand how she got to this point. 

She penned in part: “I have taken responsibility for my actions and know there is no excuse for my actions… I feel ashamed and hate myself every day. 

“I look at myself and see the humiliation I have caused myself, my friends and family. 

“Having to tell my family and friends about my actions was extremely humiliating. I understand the serious consequences of my actions and I am truly sorry for what I have done.”

Karezi, who moved to Australia at the age of 8 from Iraq, regularly sported colorful scrubs and a trademark stethoscope around her neck, according to the NY Post. She also allegedly became popular among many Iraqi and Kurdish people in western Australia. 

During her court appearance, deputy chief magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis said, “In my view these are fairly serious matters... The improprieties in holding herself out [as a doctor] were extensive, prolific and pervasive… [She] offered advice on ovarian cancer, COVID, for people's toddlers, for uterine fibroids, contraception, paracetamol overdose, wearing scrubs and seen with a stethoscope round her neck.”

But Karezi’s fabrication went beyond online posts. 

In 2017, the faux physician met Sheetal Chilim, and Karezi told her she was studying medicine. Chilim later recommended Karezi for a research position with New South Wales Health and Cancer Institute. Even though Karezi didn’t need to be a doctor for the job, she claimed to be one when applying. 

“I first applied for the job with NSW Health because Sheetal recommended me,” Karezi wrote in her apology letter. “I included that I was a doctor because I did not want Sheetal to find out that I wasn't.”

After she got the job, Karezi began signing emails “Dr.” as well as using the acronyms VMO, for “visiting medical officer,” and RMO, for “resident medical officer.”

Karezi said during the trial that she only ever shared information that was provided publicly by New South Wales Health Direct, which is a reputable Australian-based website that provides free health information. 

The former TikToker completed a masters in reproductive medicine in 2022, vowed that she will not work in medicine and deleted all of her social media accounts.

“I did not want and still do not want to do anything to do with health ever again despite having wasted so many years of my life studying and paying back student loans,” she told the court.

Karezi was given a community corrections order for two years (similar to probation in America) and will have to pay a $13,300 fine.