A civil court in Dubai has ordered a former internal audit director of a government-owned company to repay more than Dh8.6 million after being held liable for embezzling public funds, causing financial damage to his employer and allegedly laundering money through overseas channels.
The Dubai Court of First Instance ruled that the defendant must pay Dh8,647,061.34 plus five per cent legal interest starting from the date the ruling becomes final until the amount is fully settled. The judgment also includes court fees, expenses and legal costs.
Court documents showed that the man served as head of the Internal Audit Department from 2006 until he was dismissed in December 2024. His position allowed him to request prepaid mobile SIM cards intended for testing the company’s electronic systems. Investigations later revealed that around 607 SIM cards were issued under his authority, each loaded with balances that could reach Dh950 and used for digital purchases through platforms such as Google Play and the Apple Store.
Authorities found that the cards could be reloaded without strict supervisory approval — a weakness that was allegedly exploited over several years. The irregularities were discovered in September 2024 when revenue auditors and security teams noticed repeated high-value digital transactions linked to accounts managed by the audit department. A deeper internal probe indicated that hundreds of SIM cards were used to conduct thousands of online transactions.
