Dubai Court Jails 18 for Dh185-Million Law Firm Fraud and Money Laundering

Dubai Court Jails 18 for Dh185-Million Law Firm Fraud and Money Laundering

Defendants used forged documents and shell firms to embezzle millions; heavy fines, deportations and asset seizures ordered.

AuthorStaff WriterAug 25, 2025, 6:36 AM

Dubai’s Court of First Instance has convicted 18 people of various nationalities for orchestrating a Dh185 million embezzlement and money laundering scheme targeting a Dubai-based law firm.

 

The court found that the group siphoned off client payments, leaked confidential commercial data, and created fake companies inside and outside the UAE to disguise their operations. Investigations showed they also laundered the stolen funds through three shell entities set up solely for that purpose.

 

Four defendants received three-year prison terms followed by deportation, while the remaining 14 were sentenced to one year in jail and deportation. Two of them were fined Dh20,000 each, and three firms linked to the scheme were fined Dh500,000 each. Authorities also ordered the confiscation of Dh113.65 million worth of assets derived from the laundered funds. Four co-accused were acquitted for lack of evidence.

 

According to prosecutors, the group forged documents, used fake email addresses and counterfeit stationery bearing the law firm’s name, and illegally accessed its client database. They allegedly contacted international clients and diverted payments into accounts they controlled through their bogus companies.

 

The verdict was upheld by the Dubai Court of Appeal. In a related hearing, one of the main defendants was acquitted of a separate breach of trust charge.

 

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