Man steals 15kg gold from company in Dubai, court orders Dh3.1m payout

Dubai: The Dubai Civil Court has ordered an Asian man to pay more than Dh3.1 million to his two former business partners after he was found guilty of embezzling 15 kilograms of gold from their company, Emarat Al Youm reported.

The civil judgment comes on the heels of a final criminal ruling that sentenced the defendant to six months in prison, a fine equal to the value of the gold, and deportation from the UAE.

The case dates to early 2024, when the two partners filed a complaint accusing the man of misappropriating 24-karat gold worth about Dh3.5 million. Prosecutors charged him with breach of trust and embezzlement, arguing that he diverted assets entrusted to him and caused direct financial harm to his partners.

A trial court convicted him and imposed a prison sentence, which was later upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation, making the ruling final.

Following the criminal case, the partners pursued damages in civil court, seeking Dh4.5 million in compensation for both material and moral harm. They argued that the theft deprived them not only of the gold but also of potential returns from investing it, while forcing them to bear significant legal expenses.

In its ruling, the civil court affirmed that the binding criminal judgment left no doubt that the defendant had committed the embezzlement, causing both financial loss and reputational harm. It awarded the claimants Dh3.15 million, plus 5 per cent annual interest from the date of the final judgment until full repayment, along with court fees and legal costs.