Abu Dhabi Money Laundering Court convicts Public Funds Defalcation defendant
A defendant was found guilty of money laundering, intentional damage to public property, forgery, and use of forged official documents by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction over money laundering and tax evasion offences. The defendant had used his position in a public agency to fabricate false scholarship files in order to steal about AED40 million from his employing authority.
The accused was given a 15-year prison term for crimes including appropriating public funds and intentionally harming them, forging and using forged official documents, and using forged customary documents. They were also ordered to pay back the money they had stolen and pay a fine of 40 million dirhams.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of any revenues and items seized and connected to, utilised in, or arising from the crime. He was also given a ten-year jail term for the crime of money laundering as well as a fine of AED10 million.
The Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution's investigations showed that the defendant used his official position to commit crimes involving the misappropriation of public funds. He also made attempts to conceal the truth about how the money for his criminal endeavour came to be, buying expensive cars, licence plates with distinctive numbers, priceless jewellery, and taking trips abroad.
In this case, the Public Prosecution argued that it was important to protect public funds and to take all necessary precautions to thwart any attempts to obtain them through dishonest or illegal means in order to protect the nation's capabilities, its resources, and the integrity and transparency of its financial and economic system.
