Dubai: Dubai Appeals Court has upheld a two-year jail sentence against a group of men who tried to steal Dh500,000 from an investor in a fraudulent bitcoin transaction.
The four expatriate defendants, aged between 28 and 34 years, broke into an office in the Al Barsha area of Dubai for the cryptocurrency theft after attacking the investor and two of his friends.
A 33-year-old witness, who was told by the investor and another person to join them in buying the cryptocurrency, said that he went to the office carrying Dh500,000 in cash in a bag. “A man told us to wait until the arrival of the bitcoin seller. As we were getting late, the victim told the man that they would leave, when the door suddenly opened and the four defendants came in, attacked the victim and tried to snatch the money from him,” said the witness.
The four defendants physically assaulted the victim and sprayed a deodorant directly on to his face. The victim then raised an alarm, screaming “thieves ... thieves” and the attackers fled without the cash.
Dubai Police later arrested all the four defendants who were charged with attempted robbery. The court additionally ordered their deportation after they had served their jail sentences.
