A bank manager has been accused of forging official documents to open accounts and deposit millions of dirhams for a man claiming to be a senior Pakistani politician.
Dubai Court of First instance was told that the 29-year-old Pakistani opened six accounts in Dubai and nine in Abu Dhabi.
Prosecutors claim he then deposited more than Dhs34 million.
Records show that in February 2012, the UAE Central Bank discovered that the manager opened the accounts for customers who were not living in the UAE and that he was wiring huge amounts of money from Pakistan into the accounts.
An Emirati major told the court that the accounts had been opened using forged passports.
“We checked the accounts’ owners and we discovered that they didn’t enter the country, despite there being stamps on the passport copies showing that they entered the country,” he said. “Our investigation showed that the cash came from money laundering operations.”
Prosecutors said the manager opened the accounts after a meeting at a hotel in Dubai with a man claiming to be a Pakistani minister.
“He claimed that the Pakistani minister, who owned many properties, farms and petrol stations in Pakistan, gave him the passport copies and asked him to open the accounts without checking the original documents and he did,” Dubai Public Prosecution said in official records.
A technical report from the anti-money laundering department at Dubai Police accused the manager of abusing his position and of attempting to damage the UAE’s banking reputation.
The manager has denied the charges and the trial has been adjourned until next month to hear from the defence.
http://7daysindubai.com/bank-manager-dock-money-laundering-charges/
Dubai Court of First instance was told that the 29-year-old Pakistani opened six accounts in Dubai and nine in Abu Dhabi.
Prosecutors claim he then deposited more than Dhs34 million.
Records show that in February 2012, the UAE Central Bank discovered that the manager opened the accounts for customers who were not living in the UAE and that he was wiring huge amounts of money from Pakistan into the accounts.
An Emirati major told the court that the accounts had been opened using forged passports.
“We checked the accounts’ owners and we discovered that they didn’t enter the country, despite there being stamps on the passport copies showing that they entered the country,” he said. “Our investigation showed that the cash came from money laundering operations.”
Prosecutors said the manager opened the accounts after a meeting at a hotel in Dubai with a man claiming to be a Pakistani minister.
“He claimed that the Pakistani minister, who owned many properties, farms and petrol stations in Pakistan, gave him the passport copies and asked him to open the accounts without checking the original documents and he did,” Dubai Public Prosecution said in official records.
A technical report from the anti-money laundering department at Dubai Police accused the manager of abusing his position and of attempting to damage the UAE’s banking reputation.
The manager has denied the charges and the trial has been adjourned until next month to hear from the defence.
http://7daysindubai.com/bank-manager-dock-money-laundering-charges/
