Woman who embezzled Dh24.5 million jailed by Dubai court

DUBAI // An international banking services manager who embezzled Dh24.5 million from a client’s accounts has been jailed for seven years.

S A, 30, from Lebanon was locked up for stealing the cash from three bank accounts belonging to Iranian property investor H R.

Prosecutors said the thefts occurred between October 2010 and March last year after S A gave American A A, 40, Pakistani driver H K, 31, and Indian A S, 34, details of the accounts, including their history, balances and the account owner’s signature.

A A, H K and A S used this information to fill out transfer orders, forge H R’s signature and submit orders to the bank to transfer the cash to another account, prosecutors said adding they were helped in forging the transfer papers by an unidentified man.

S A faced 10 charges, including theft, forgery of documents and use of forged documents. A A, H K and A S were charged with theft, forgery and aiding and abetting.

The 54-year-old victim 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 needed 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 was very different from the one given to us by S A and was missing a lot of money.”

H R said he met S A’s manager to ask about the discrepancy. It was then that the thefts were discovered and reported to police.

S A was jailed by the Dubai Criminal Court. A A, H K, A S and another defendant whose information was not given were also jailed for seven years.

Eight other people were also charged with possessing stolen money and were sentenced to six months in jail each.

All 13 will be deported after completing their sentences.