Bank worker forged signature to take out Dh1 million loan in client’s name

Egyptian banker also forged documents and opened another account in another client's name to transfer the cash, Dubai court hears.

DUBAI // A bank worker who forged a Dh980,000 loan application using a client’s name and kept the money for himself was sentenced to five years in jail and ordered to repay the money he stole.

Egyptian M H, 33, a client-service executive at a bank in Al Qusais, opened an account using forged documents for a Syrian client in July last year. He then submitted a loan application using the forged signature of the Syrian.

In an attempt to keep the money safe he opened another account in another client’s name, transferred the money in four instalments and applied to get an ATM card for the account.

The Egyptian’s deceit was uncovered when the Syrian, A A, 40, was told by the bank that a loan application he knew nothing about had been approved.

“I was shown the documents and I saw my signature was forged, so I filed a complaint at the Qusais police station,” A A said.

At the Dubai Criminal Court on Tuesday, the defendant denied a charge of forgery, use of forged documents and illegally obtaining Dh980,000.

His sister, S H, 31, testified that her brother gave her an ATM card and documents in a bag and told her to hide them.

“The next day police called me and told me what my brother had done and asked if he gave me any documents,” she said. “I told them yes, and handed over the ATM card and the other documents.”

Policeman F A told the court that the Egyptian had confessed to the crime, saying that he used the money for entertainment.

In addition to the prison term and being ordered to pay back the money, M H was fined the same amount that he stole and will be deported after serving his sentence.