European arrested for throwing ‘€50,000’ at Dubai workers to increase social media followers

Sohaila Ahmed, Staff reporter

A European businessman and his Asian accomplice were arrested and referred to criminal court, for possessing counterfeit money of $740,000 and €50,000 and attempting to promote them in Dubai.

The incident dated back to last March, when the police’s cybercrime division had detected a video on social media platforms.

The video urged Asian workers to violate COVID-19 regulations and meet in groups.

Police teams discovered the identity of the defendant who posted the video, and immediately found out his whereabouts and placed him under arrest.

The defendant revealed a bigger crime, as he confessed to throwing away counterfeit money of €50,000 on Asian workers in one of Dubai’s areas.

The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

He confessed to buying the fake amount of money for Dhs1,000.

The defendant revealed that he only aimed to increase the number of his followers on social media platform, by pretending to be a rich man enjoying  a luxurious life in Dubai.

After placing the defendant under arrest and searching his residence, police teams seized the counterfeit money of $740,000.

During investigations, police learned about his European accomplice and planned to ambush him.

Police ambushed the European defendant by convincing him to sell $1.5 million for Dhs1,100.

The European defendant confessed to selling counterfeit currency in his shop, and both defendants were charged of forgery and fraud.