Rogue real estate agent jailed over sale of Dh7.7m Dubai apartment which did not exist

British fraudster used forged documents to dupe a businessman into splashing out on the fake property

A British man was sentenced to five years in prison in his absence over a Dh7.7 million apartment fraud. The National

A rogue Dubai salesman who duped a businessman into buying a Dh7.7 million apartment which did not exist has been handed a five-year jail term.

The 39-year-old Briton forged documents purported to be from Dubai Land Department and Emaar Properties to help secure the lucrative deal.

The Egyptian victim paid the asking price in three installments between May and September, 2015, after being shown fake plans for a unit in The Address Residence Fountain Views.

The fraudster fled the country after pocketing the huge sum, Dubai Criminal Court heard.

“I met the defendant in 2015 at his office in a building on Sheikh Zayed Road and he claimed he was the head of a real state agency,” said the victim in evidence.

“He later offered me the three-bedroom unit in Fountain Views.

“He gave me an ownership certificate stamped by Dubai Land Department.

“He also gave me receipts from Emaar and said a title deed would only be issued once the project was finished in 2018.”

When he visited Emaar to inquire about his apartment he was told no such property existed.

“Employees at his agency told me he fled the country after scamming a number of other people,” said the man.

The defendant was convicted in his absence of forgery, use of forged documents and fraudulently obtaining Dh7.7m.

He was sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by deportation and was fined Dh7.7m.