Company official jailed for Dhs501,000 scam

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A realty company official who forged documents to swindle Dhs501,553 electronic devices from a supplier lost the case at the Dubai Appeals Court on Sunday.

The Asian defendant, 29, worked at the company as its purchase coordinator. He was in charge of ordering for supplies, materials and services required by the company’s managements and sections, read records.

He abused his fiduciary duties of securing the company’s money and interests to illicitly order for 107 electronic devices comprising mobile phones, laptops and accessories worth Dhs501, 553 between Feb.4 and 19.

The Dubai Criminal Court sentenced him to two years behind bars to be followed by deportation. It also slapped him with a Dhs150,000 fine. He appealed for mercy. However, the Appeals Court upheld the punishment.

While on duty, he misused the workplace email to contact the supplier. He forged four purchase orders analogous to those issued by his workplace’s e-system. He noted that payments would be effected after one month.

He opened up a fictitious email address attributed to a ghost employee allegedly working at the realty company as an official in its finance department. He used that email to send purchase orders to the supplier. The supplier sent a business transactions document to the defendant’s workplace email. He printed it out and fixed a signature on it. He stamped it twice using the company’s stamp then resent it to the supplier.

The devices were readied. The defendant corresponded with the supplier’s employees, went to the location and picked up the devices after signing a receipt. He stamped the receipt using the company’s stamp.

The company’s sales manager said, “The defendant instead of corresponding with the supplier through the e-system rather used an email. During workplace questioning, he admitted he swindled the items.”

During prosecution questionings, he acknowledged forgery, misusing the company’s stamp and embezzlement. “I ordered for iPhone and Samsung smartphones, headphones, cameras and 50 laptops,” he admitted.

“The company was not aware. I used its email address to contact the supplier. I obtained devices worth Dhs480, 000. The incident came to light after the supplier sent a receipt to the company demanding payment.”

During further questioning he revealed he sold the devices via a classifieds website. He contended he was facing financial constraints and he was too broke to meet obligations his family owed to several people.