Bank manager uses fake sign to steal Dh120,000 from woman's account in Dubai

Dubai - The manager tried to embezzle another Dh1 million from the same customer's account and transfer it to an account at a bank in India.

A former manager at a bank has been charged at a Dubai court with embezzling more than Dh120,000 from the account of a company owned by a woman.
The Court of First Instance heard that the Indian man - a runaway - faked the signature of the customer on the withdrawal forms while he transferred the amounts to the account of another Indian runaway accomplice.
The manager tried to embezzle another Dh1 million from the same customer's account and transfer it to an account at a bank in India. However, the bank administration foiled his attempt as the transferal form date was old and the staff had to call the account real holder to verify the application.
A Chinese woman, 32, has also been charged with damaging the interests of the victim and the bank while in her position at the bank as well as criminal complicity. She failed to double-check the documents as per the bank's regulations and procedures. The employee approved the papers she received without checking whether they were really issued from the victim, including original passport, forged application about the change of the victim's mobile number and the latter's signature.  
The bank manager was charged in absentia with fraud and embezzlement, attempted fraud, and forgery. 
The runaway Indian accomplice has also been charged with aiding and abetting in the said crimes.    
The alleged financial irregularities lasted from May 2017 to February 2018.
A Palestinian administrative officer at the bank told the prosecutor that the case unfolded when they received a fax to transfer Dh1 million from the victim's account to an account in India. "When we called her on her international number in the UK, she denied that she had issued such a transfer application, confirming that it is a fraud."
The victim complained that an amount of Dh80,000 was transferred from her account on May 23, 2017. Another amount of Dh40,000 was also transferred on October 11, 2017. "She informed us that the manager, who used to do her transactions, claimed to her that it was a mistake and the amounts would be re-deposited in her account," the witness recounted.
The trial has been adjourned to July 2. 
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai