Woman who 'stole Dh20m' in UAE claims lover threatened to post private pics

Abu Dhabi - The 33-year-old Emirati woman is on trial at the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance for embezzlement.

A bank employee accused of stealing Dh20 million from her workplace to spend on her lover has claimed that the latter threatened to publish her private photos if she stopped giving him money.
The 33-year-old Emirati woman is on trial at the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance for embezzlement.
The court heard that the woman used her post as the head of the accounts section at a banking institution in Abu Dhabi to steal the cash.
Court documents stated that the woman allegedly spent the stolen cash on a 26-year-old man - a GCC national, who is also accused in the case - in paying his bank loans, and buying him luxury cars and special number plates.
She also used a part of the money to buy him expensive gifts such as branded watches and clothes and paying for his luxurious trips to Europe.
The lawyer representing the woman argued on Wednesday that the money his client is accused of embezzling was actually loans she received from the bank after proper approval.
"My client received this cash as loans and she was paying back in monthly installments, along with the bank interest," said the lawyer. "The cash was being regularly deducted from my client's salary."
He added that the bank officials were aware of the loans the woman had taken and that according to bank documents, she took Dh12 million and had paid back Dh3 million.
The lawyer added that in addition to blackmailing his client into giving money, the woman's lover had "manipulated her", taking advantage of her "naivety".
"The man also claimed that he was a police officer and knew everything about my client," said the lawyer. "He threatened to publish her private photos, which she had shared with him over the phone, if she didn't give him money.
"The woman was in a trap and had to spend most of the money she took from the bank on the man."
According to the lawyer, the Emirati woman had transferred Dh2.2 million to her lover's bank account and Dh2.2 million to that of his brother, who is also an accused in the case.
He requested the court to direct both men to pay back the cash to clear the bank debt. He also demanded that his client be cleared of the charge of embezzlement.
The trial was adjourned until November 7.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi