Emirati Donor’s Dh3.5Mm Charity Fraud Claim Dismissed by Dubai Court

An Emirati donor has filed a civil case in Dubai seeking to recover more than Dh3.5 million from two men he accused of fraudulently collecting funds under the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid.

 

The case was ultimately dismissed after a final criminal ruling acquitted one of the defendants, preventing the civil court from re-examining the alleged offence.

 

The claimant said he regularly contributes to charitable causes, including sponsoring orphans and supporting humanitarian initiatives. He alleged that the two men approached him claiming they had direct connections with families in need and charitable organisations in an Arab country. They offered to channel financial assistance to vulnerable households, including support for medical treatment, housing, education and orphan sponsorship.

 

The donor told the court the men provided a dedicated phone line through which he communicated with supposed beneficiaries. Through international WhatsApp messages, he said he received expressions of gratitude from individuals presented as recipients of his donations, which strengthened his trust and prompted him to hand over large sums in cash and cheques.

 

He based his civil claim on an earlier criminal judgment that had initially sentenced the defendants to one year in prison, imposed a joint financial penalty equal to the disputed amount and ordered their deportation, while referring the civil claim to the competent court. He also argued that the alleged conduct caused significant financial loss and emotional distress.

 

One defendant later challenged the criminal ruling, leading the civil court to suspend proceedings pending the appeal outcome.

 

The Court of Appeal subsequently overturned the conviction and issued a final acquittal, which the defendant submitted when the civil case resumed.

 

In its ruling, the Dubai civil court outlined the legal principle that final criminal judgments — whether conviction or acquittal — are binding on civil courts regarding the occurrence of the offence, its legal classification and its attribution to the accused. The court cited provisions of the UAE Criminal Procedures Law and precedents of the Court of Cassation, which treat the authority of final criminal rulings as a matter of public order aimed at avoiding contradictory judgments.

 

Reviewing the appeal decision, the civil court noted the acquittal was based on insufficient evidence and doubts over whether fraud had occurred.

 

The defendant maintained he had received the funds but distributed them as humanitarian aid. His defence was supported by a witness deemed credible by the criminal court, along with receipts indicating the aid had been delivered.

 

The criminal court found the case relied mainly on statements from the claimant and his son, as well as an expert report based on documents submitted by the claimant. It concluded there was no conclusive proof the funds had failed to reach their intended recipients.

 

Given that the acquittal rested on doubt and lack of sufficient evidence, the civil court held it was legally bound by the criminal judgment and could not revisit the fraud allegation or assign liability. The claim was therefore dismissed.

 

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