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Dubai: Trio who stole gold worth more than Dh800,000 sentenced to prison, deportation
The third defendant fled the country after taking out a loan of over Dh1.5 million
- PUBLISHED: Mon 15 Jul 2024, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Mon 15 Jul 2024, 8:35 PM
Three men have been sentenced to prison and deportation for a gold theft worth more than Dh800,000 from a Dubai jewellery company. Dubai Public Prosecutors charged the defendants, two Egyptians and one Indian for crimes committed on September 28, 2023, in Dubai's Naif area.
Judges at Dubai Criminal Court were told the first and second defendants embezzled a total of Dh824,604.17 from the jewellery company where they worked. They exploited their authority at the company by establishing a clandestine goldsmith workshop and recruiting workers under the company's name.
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The third defendant, who remains at large, was found to have received Dh236,823, knowing it was obtained through the crimes committed by the first two defendants.
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In details, the court found that the first defendant, a 35-year-old Indian, established a clandestine goldsmith workshop without the company's consent and employed ten workers under the jeweller's name, paying their salaries from the firm's funds.
He also brokered agreements to loan workers to another jewellery company, altering employment contracts and increasing his own monthly salary from Dh10,000 to Dh50,000.
The second defendant, a 47-year-old Egyptian, facilitated the employment of his 41-year-old brother, the third defendant, at the company.
He arranged for his brother's salary to be Dh3,500 but deposited an additional Dh25,000 monthly into his account under the guise of wage protection. The third defendant fled the country after taking out a loan of over Dh1.5 million.
A representative of one of the jewellery company's partners testified that the offence came to light in May 2023 after workers alerted him to suspicious activities, such as purchasing gold at inflated prices.
After investigating the matter, he discovered the unauthorised goldsmith workshop and reported the issue to his partner, leading to the discovery of further fraudulent activities.
A forensic accounting report confirmed the embezzlement and fraudulent activities.
The first and second defendants were found guilty and sentenced to three months in prison. They were jointly fined Dh824,604.17. Judges ordered them to be deported after serving their sentences.
The third defendant was sentenced in absentia to one month in prison and fined Dh236,823, with deportation to follow upon his arrest.
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