Dubai resident accused of $5.5 million fraud by a Russian bank fights extradition bid

The Kyrgyzstani citizen told Dubai Cassation Court his life will be at risk if he is sent back

The Kyrgyzstani citizen was arrested in Dubai in November 2017 after a warrant was issued by Interpol.

A Dubai resident accused of $5.5 million fraud by a Russian bank has appealed against his extradition request.

The Kyrgyzstani citizen, 33, a former employee of the bank, told Dubai Cessation Court that he fears for his life if he is sent back to Russia.

“I came to the UAE in 2013. I’m afraid I will get killed in Russia if I am sent back,” he said in court.

The man was arrested in Dubai in November 2017 after a warrant for his arrest was issued by Interpol.

He is wanted over 95 fraud offences committed from 2008 to 2011.

The appeals court rejected the extradition request but it was challenged by the emirate’s public prosecutors.

The case was moved to the cassation court in December 2019 and the court ordered a new panel of appeal judges to rehear the case.

A verdict was then issued approving the man’s extradition but he appealed again in the court of cassation to block the request.

Lawyer Awatif Mohammed from Al Rowaad Advocates, who represents the man, argued in court that the extradition request did not meet one of the conditions of the extradition treaty between the UAE and Russia.

“The Russian law must be attached to the case file and must also include articles about lapse of time, otherwise it’s a violation of one of the conditions of the extradition treaty,” she said.

Ms Mohammed said the amount of time lapsed in this case should disqualify the extradition request. The frauds happened in 2010 and Russian courts sentenced the suspect to two months in prison in his absence at the time.

The Kyrgyzstaniman is accused of belonging to a group that defrauded the Russian bank by granting loans to people who had not undergone background checks and using fake documents to do so.

The man denied charges in court. A verdict will be passed later this month.