A Dubai Civil Court of First Instance has ordered several individuals and companies to jointly repay Dh3.903 million to two maritime trading firms after a final criminal ruling found them guilty of fraud and money laundering linked to a sophisticated cybercrime scheme.
The court also upheld a precautionary seizure of the defendants’ assets, citing the gravity of the offenses and the risk that funds could be concealed or dissipated.
Court records showed that the defendants acted as part of an organised criminal group that impersonated a legitimate maritime shipping company. Using a forged email address closely resembling the company’s official correspondence, the group deceived the victim firms into believing that the bank account for settling outstanding commercial payments had been changed.
As a result, the companies transferred large sums to accounts controlled by the defendants, leading to significant financial losses and triggering criminal and civil proceedings.
