Dubai: Group who bought Porsche with fake cheque sentenced to 6 months in jail, fine and deportation

Dubai: A group of fraudsters who stole a Porsche Cayenne after paying the seller with a forged cheque have been ordered to repay the value of the luxury vehicle and compensate the victim, following parallel criminal and civil court rulings. 

The incident began when the owner listed his Porsche Cayenne for sale on an online marketplace. One of the buyers contacted him, expressed interest, and met him at a vehicle registration center. There, the group handed him a counterfeit manager’s cheque for Dh575,000 and took possession of the car before attempting to ship it out of the country.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the victim later discovered the cheque was fake and filed a criminal complaint. Dubai Public Prosecution charged the suspects with forging and using a forged document and fraudulently obtaining another person’s property.

The Criminal Court convicted the group, three in person and one in absentia, sentencing them to six months in jail, a joint fine of Dh575,000 representing the unrecovered value, and deportation. The ruling was upheld on appeal.

The seller then filed a civil lawsuit seeking repayment of the vehicle’s value and compensation for the losses he suffered.

Court documents show the defendants, along with additional fugitives, had forged the cheque to resemble an authentic bank instrument, using it as a fraudulent tool to complete the sale.

After receiving the cheque, they registered the car in one defendant’s name, then quickly transferred ownership to a third party to facilitate its export abroad.

The civil court ruled that the findings of the criminal judgment were binding, noting that the forged cheque, its use, and the unlawful seizure of the vehicle constituted actionable harm under civil law.

The court found that the plaintiff suffered material losses, including deprivation of the vehicle and associated legal and administrative expenses, as well as emotional distress resulting from the fraudulent loss of his property.

The court ordered the four defendants, jointly, to pay Dh575,000, the value of the stolen vehicle, plus an additional Dh50,000 in material and moral damages. They were also ordered to cover court fees and legal costs.