What began as a lucrative order for 35 iPhones ended in betrayal when two employees conspired with a fugitive fraudster to defraud their employer.
A Dubai court has sentenced the two Asian men to one month in prison, fined them Dh146,000 — the full amount lost — and ordered their deportation.
According to court documents, the incident unfolded when a man posing as a customer entered the mobile phone shop seeking to buy dozens of iPhone 15 Pro Max devices worth Dh146,000. With no stock available, the shop owner handed cash to his employees and instructed them to source the devices from nearby stores.
Instead, the employees handed over the money to the supposed customer outside the shop. The fraudster promised them a share — Dh50,000 for one, Dh20,000 for the other — before vanishing.
When the phones failed to arrive, the workers initially claimed the man would return after evening prayers. Hours later, they admitted to handing over the money.
Police investigations, backed by WhatsApp exchanges and confessions, confirmed that the employees had colluded with the fugitive in advance. However, they were also left empty-handed after he disappeared with the entire sum.
The Dubai Misdemeanor Court ruled the men had “breached their employer’s trust,” stressing that workplace fraud would be met with strict penalties, including prison, fines, and deportation.
