UAE: Real estate employee ordered to repay Dh437,000 after embezzlement conviction

The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court has ordered an employee of a real estate company to pay Dh437,464 to the company, in addition to Dh100,000 in material and moral damages.

The company had filed a lawsuit against the employee, demanding the payment of Dh437,464 along with Dh100,000 in compensation for damages, as well as court fees, expenses, and attorney’s fees. This followed his conviction by the Abu Dhabi Misdemeanor Court for Financial Crimes, which fined him Dh500,000 for embezzlement—a judgment upheld on appeal and cassation. Despite the final criminal ruling, the employee refused to repay the amount to the company without any legal or legitimate justification, prompting the company to pursue the civil case.

Case documents confirmed that, based on the criminal judgment, the employee was found guilty of unlawfully appropriating the amount through embezzlement, and the verdict had become final. The court noted that the employee attended the proceedings but failed to provide any evidence proving he had cleared his liability, thereby warranting an order for him to pay the company the claimed amount.

Regarding the company’s claim for material and moral damages, the court found—based on the facts and supporting documents—that the real estate company suffered losses due to the employee’s embezzlement and its inability to benefit from the funds, given that it invests tenants’ money. This also harmed the company’s reputation, entitling it to Dh100,000 in material and moral compensation.