The court determined that the defendant’s misappropriation of the cash constituted an unlawful act. Abu Dhabi: A trade company’s owner was ordered by the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court to reimburse Dh268,300 to a man he tricked into sending money for an alleged investment plan. Additionally, the court mandated that the defendant and his business pay Dh5,000 in compensation for the victim’s injuries.
According to court documents, the plaintiff filed a civil lawsuit against the business and its owner, claiming he had been duped into thinking his money was being invested through a legal trading operation. He sought Dh358,581 in damages plus 12 percent interest, according to Emarat Al Youm. He said in court that the defendant had frequently persuaded him to fund the business’s bank account by delivering fictitious earnings reports via WhatsApp that implied the investments were increasing. After the plaintiff found out he had been duped, the defendant was found guilty in a criminal case, given a one-year prison sentence, and ordered to be deported after serving his time.
The criminal case’s conclusions, which showed that the defendant had illegally obtained Dh268,300 from the victim by deceitfully saying he could invest the money through his trading company, were cited by the civil court in its decision. The court observed that the defendant encouraged the victim to make several transfers and shared images of fictitious earnings in order to further the deceit. The plaintiff further claimed that he had transferred USD 24,871 (Dh90,281) to the defendant through an internet trading platform, but the court found no evidence to corroborate this claim, pointing out that there was no indication the accused owned the platform.
Regarding compensation, the court determined that the plaintiff suffered financial injury as a result of the defendant’s misappropriation of the funds, which deprived him of a legitimate economic interest. The court acknowledged emotional suffering brought on by the deception, including “sadness and distress,” justifying a modest compensation order even if the plaintiff was unable to demonstrate additional substantial losses. The defendant and his business were sentenced by the court to pay Dh5,000 in damages, Dh268,300 in repayment, and court costs and fees.
