Man jailed for forging business licence to con investor in Dubai

Dubai: A businessman was sentenced to one year in jail followed by deportation on Thursday after forging a licence for a non-existent company.

An Emirati victim saw a post online stating that a petrol services company was looking for a financier to help renew its trade licence before selling the company at a higher price. The financier would receive a share of the sale. However, the 36-year-old Egyptian who posted the advert had faked the trade licence sent via WhatsApp to the victim last November. The two agreed the victim would pay Dh370,000 and the victim took a receipt. Afterwards the accused stopped answering his call. The defendant confessed to fraud but said he only took Dh120,000. He was charged with forgery and obtaining Dh120,000 by deception. The sentence can be appealed within two weeks.