Emirati woman 'stole Dh2.7m from bank then bought cars worth Dh400,000'

She and a Palestinian man are accused of using fake documents to open a local bank account and then taking out a loan.

An Emirati woman and a Palestinian man are accused of stealing Dh2.7 million from a local bank before blowing Dh400,000 on two cars.

The pair, 33 and 37, aided by an unidentified woman, allegedly forged a salary certificate from the Ministry of Interior that stated earnings of Dh136,000 a month as well as a passport copy then used them to apply for a bank account with National Bank of Abu Dhabi at a branch in Al Quoz, Dubai.

During the process of opening the account, the Emirati used the name appearing on the forged passport as her name and signed it on the bank’s applications. When the account became active, she applied for a large loan, which was approved.

The Lebanese NBAD branch manager, 39, told prosecutors that in 2014 the Emirati woman visited her in her office to carry out the procedures of opening the account but she was wearing a niqab.

“I asked her to show her face for purposes of identification, she did and she was the same person in the picture in the passport copy provided and she presented herself with the name on the passport,” said the manager.

She added that after all procedures were finalised and the defendant was granted the loan, she visited the bank and withdrew Dh500,000 then came into to her office and thanked her for her efforts.

“The next day she came again and withdrew the remaining amount,” said the manager.

It was not revealed how the scam was discovered but during prosecution interrogations, the Emirati woman allegedly confessed and said that she was approached by a Bahraini woman to take part in the plan in return for a share of the profit.

Prosecutors said that the woman was unemployed but owned two cars worth Dh400,000, both bought and paid for in cash after the incident.

In court on Wednesday morning, the pair denied charges of forging official documents, use of the forged documents and unlawfully obtaining Dh2.7m.

The next hearing at Dubai Criminal Court will be on August 6.