Bank services manager accused of embezzling Dh24m from client

DUBAI // An international banking services manager embezzled Dh24.5 million from the accounts of a client, a court has heard.

S A, 30, from Lebanon, and her co-defendants – American A A, 40, and Pakistani H K, 31, who is still at large – are charged with stealing the amount from three bank accounts owned by Iranian property investor H R.

Prosecutors said that the thefts occurred between October 2010 and March last year, after S A gave her accomplices details of the three accounts, including their history, balances and the account owner’s signature.

The two are accused of using the details to fill out transfer orders, forge the owner’s signature then submit the orders to the bank.

They had the money transferred to another bank account from which they withdrew it, prosecutors say. They were helped in forging the transfer papers by an unidentified man.

S A faces 10 charges, including theft, forgery of documents and use of forged documents. The other pair are charged with theft, forgery and aiding and abetting.

Eight more defendants are charged with possessing some of the stolen money.

The victim, 54, said that in March last year he requested a bank statement for his end of year audit.

“S A met with the administrative manager of my companies and handed her the statement,” he said.

“But the next day we were informed that we need a more detailed statement, so the manager returned to the bank and met with another employee.

“This employee gave her the requested statement and when we checked it, it was very different from the one given to us by S A and was missing a lot of money.”

The investor said he met S A’s manager to ask about the discrepancy.

It was then that the thefts were discovered and reported to police.

The woman was not in Dubai Criminal Court yesterday, but five of her co-defendants were and all denied the charges against them.

The next hearing has been scheduled for September 19.