Judge upholds six-month jail term and deportation in luxury car export scam involving forged legal documents.
The Dubai Misdemeanours Court has convicted an Italian national in a high-profile cross-border financial fraud case involving the fraudulent export of a luxury car valued at more than Dh770,000, sentencing him to six months in prison and ordering his deportation upon completion of the sentence.
The case, tried under Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 (UAE Penal Code) as amended by Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2022, centred on charges of fraud and misrepresentation. The court found that the accused had deceived the complainant by posing as a licensed lawyer who could facilitate the export of a high-value Ferrari 12F.
According to court findings, the accused used forged documents, falsified email communications, and fabricated WhatsApp messages purportedly showing his presence at the Public Prosecution Office to gain the victim’s trust. This led to the unlawful transfer of the vehicle’s ownership and the payment of Dh65,000 in supposed legal and processing fees, bringing the total misappropriated amount to Dh835,000.
The litigation was led by UAE-based legal consultancy Kaden Boriss, which assisted the claimant throughout the proceedings through Nasser Yousuf Alkhamis. The firm’s Criminal Law and Dispute Resolution team conducted a detailed review of evidence, including digital communications and transaction records, establishing clear intent to defraud and unlawful enrichment.
Based on these findings, the team advised the filing of a criminal complaint before the Dubai Public Prosecution under Articles 83(3), 126(2), and 451(1) of the Penal Code, which cover fraud by deceit and unlawful possession of property.
The Dubai Misdemeanours Court concluded that the accused had “intentionally deceived the victim for financial gain” and “misrepresented himself as a qualified lawyer to gain trust,” before using forged materials to unlawfully appropriate the complainant’s assets.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court imposed a fine equivalent to the value of the misappropriated assets and referred the civil claim for compensation to the competent civil court.
The judgment, which was subsequently upheld by both the Dubai Court of Appeal and the Court of Cassation, reaffirms the UAE judiciary’s firm stance on combating financial crimes and professional misrepresentation, particularly in cases with cross-border implications.
Legal consultancy Kaden Boriss said the ruling underscores its commitment to delivering result-oriented representation and supporting victims of financial fraud through strategic and evidence-based advocacy.
