Dubai salesman in dock for doctoring FB photos

Dubai: A salesman who digitally altered pictures of women to make them appear naked and posted them on Facebook faced blackmail charges on Wednesday.

A.A., a 38-year-old Pakistani, was dragged to court following a complaint lodged by an Indian couple who owed him money but used an unusual credit collection method. The salesman pleaded guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance. Court records revealed that A.A. posted what appeared to be nude or semi-nude photos of the man’s wife, sister and his sister’s friend on Facebook.

The episode started when F.V., a 24-year-old travel agent, and his wife J.K., a 24-year-old Indian secretary, were unable to pay back an amount they owed the salesman. Court records were unclear on the amount.

When the accused realised the couple wouldn’t be able to pay up soon, he took some photos from J.K.’s page and Photoshopped a few in which he placed his sister’s head on the body of a skimpily-clad woman. He also digitally manipulated her friend’s picture to make her look naked. A.A. exacted his revenge with an odd work of computer manipulation, where he placed J.K.’s head on another woman’s clothed body.

A.A. then called F.V. and threatened to further scandalise the women of his family if they did not pay up.

Prosecution records showed that A.A. pestered the couples with as many as 15 calls a day. A.A. will be sentenced on April 7.