Dubai: Two men have been accused of hoodwinking a businessman and swindling his Dh1.9 million after luring him into a dodgy deal to sell desalination devices to two government departments.
The Italian businessman was said to have been introduced by a friend to his countryman trader in 2016 on the pretext that the latter worked closely with Dubai Government on commercial projects through influential persons.
According to records, shortly after the businessman communicated with his 33-year-old countryman trader, the latter offered to win the businessman a Dh455 million tender to sell devices that desalinate water by humidification to Dubai government bodies.
To win his confidence, the trader introduced the businessman to a 27-year-old Emirati employee who presented a chain of emails from government bodies confirming their interest to purchase those devices, but against a particular commission.
Records said the Italian businessman was also shown official papers issued by those government departments to convince him to agree and pay the commission.
Once the businessman paid the commission in full [Dh1.9 million], he requested the Emirati to give him official papers confirming that he was involved in the project.
The 27-year-old Emirati provided the businessman with purchase receipts and when the latter visited the concerned department, he was told that those papers were forged and that the project to purchase those devices was nonexistent.
The Italian businessman, thereafter, complained to the police who apprehended the trader and the employee.
Prosecutors accused the Emirati and Italian suspects of forging official papers which they used to trick the businessman and swindle his money.
Jail wardens did not bring the suspects from detention and present them before the Dubai Court of First Instance where they were scheduled to enter their pleas on Tuesday.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal adjourned the hearing until the suspects are presented in court when it reconvenes on November 15.
