Dubai: Two men, who hoodwinked a businessman and swindled his Dh1.9 million after luring him into a dodgy deal to sell desalination devices to two government departments, have been jailed three years each.

The Italian businessman was introduced by a friend to his countryman trader in 2016 on the pretext that the latter worked closely with Dubai Government on commercial projects.

Shortly after the businessman communicated with the 33-year-old Italian trader, the latter offered to help the businessman win a Dh455 million tender to sell devices that desalinate water by humidification to Dubai government bodies.

To win his trust, the 33-year-old accused 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.

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 demanded the Emirati defendant 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.

On Tuesday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the two defendants of forgery, using forged papers and swindling with deception an amount of Dh1.9 million.

Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the Italian accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment.