The Dubai Misdemeanour Court has convicted two expatriate men — one Asian and one Arab — of defrauding an investor of Dh210,000 and a cheque by using a forged hotel lease contract. The Asian defendant, who appeared in court, received a one-year prison sentence, while his accomplice was convicted in absentia and given the same jail term. Investigations revealed the first defendant had used a family connection with the hotel owner to deceive the victim. Upon arrest, the Asian defendant admitted to the scheme and implicated the Arab suspect. The court ordered both to return the stolen funds, confiscated the forged documents, and ruled that they will be deported after serving their sentences. The case began in December 2024, when an Arab investor reported being scammed. They asked for an upfront Dh210,000 payment and a post-dated cheque without a written beneficiary name, claiming it would be updated later in the hotel system. The investor complied, but learned the truth just days later when hotel staff confirmed the lease contract was fake. He also claimed that the stolen money was turned over to a third man who orchestrated the fraud. Authorities have initiated further measures to locate the missing accomplices. The Asian defendant posed as a senior hotel employee, while the other acted as a real estate broker, offering to lease an entire hotel floor for Dh380,000.
