Man jailed by Dubai court for fraudulently obtaining and then selling 40 iPhones

Prosecutors at the Dubai Criminal Court said Pakistani AK, 27, worked a sales agent at an electronics company in charge of processing payments and requests from Etisalat customers.

DUBAI // A man who forged documents to obtain 40 iPhones from Etisalat that he then sold online has been sentenced to three years in jail.

Prosecutors at Dubai Criminal Court said Pakistani A K, 27, worked as a sales agent at an electronics company where he was in charge of processing payments and requests from Etisalat customers.

In May last year, A K forged documents and used them to set up accounts for customers without their knowledge by using salary certificates, passports and ID copies supplied by his compatriot and roommate M F, who worked at a bank.

Egyptian electronics manager I B, 41, said A K obtained 40 iPhones with Etisalat accounts and used them to run up internet data charges of Dh145,788. “When we interrogated him, he told us that he did it; sold the handsets online and pocketed the money,” I B said.

Policeman B M, 40, told prosecutors that A K admitted selling the phones. “A K told us that he received Dh21,000 from the sale, while M F received Dh25,000,” the officer said.

“I wired the money I got from selling the mobiles to Pakistan,” A K said.

He was sentenced to three-years in jail for forgery, using forged documents, fraudulently obtaining the mobile phones and incurring the data charges. He will be deported after completing his sentence.

M F was not charged. Court records did not state a reason.