UAE court orders Dh165,660 repayment in fake immigration visa case

Dubai: An Abu Dhabi court has ordered four individuals to jointly repay Dh165,660 to a man they defrauded through a fake immigration visa scheme, along with 4 per cent interest from the date the lawsuit was filed until full repayment.

The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil, and Administrative Claims Court also ordered the defendants to pay an additional Dh10,000 in compensation for material and emotional damages, as well as legal fees and court costs.

The ruling stems from a case in which the defendants, along with unidentified accomplices, falsely promised the victim they could secure a migration visa to a foreign country.

According to case documents, the defendants used deceptive means, including email communication and a fraudulent narrative, to convince the man to transfer money to a bank account under their control.

The court found that the first and second defendants had already been convicted in a related criminal case by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court. Each was fined Dh100,000 and held liable for court fees.

In the civil case, the court ruled that the two had acted in concert with others to unlawfully seize funds from the plaintiff through an electronic fraud scheme.

Evidence presented included email exchanges, bank transfer receipts, and official investigative reports, all confirming that the victim had sent the money in multiple payments to accounts linked to the defendants.

Despite being officially notified, the defendants failed to appear in court or return the funds. The court held them jointly liable for the total amount, citing clear evidence of their responsibility for the fraudulent scheme.