DUBAI // A man who was jailed for three months for threatening a woman he met on social media and blackmailing her into paying him Dh7,340 has lost his appeal bid.
The Egyptian, 27, met the woman, who lives in Gaza, on Facebook in January last year. They started chatting on Skype and WhatsApp, through which she sent pictures of herself.
Shortly after she received a threatening message in which he told her to wire him US$2,000 (Dh7340) or he would post her pictures online.
She sent him the amount but he asked for more and gave her a few days to pay.
“I decided then to write to police about him,” said the woman, who sent an email to Dubai Police on February 15 last year.
Police went to his workplace but were told he had been arrested after fighting with one of his colleagues. He was found at his home and confessed that he threatened and blackmailed the woman.
Several chats between him and the woman were found on his laptop and smartphone. Police also found a receipt for a money transfer.
In Dubai Criminal Court last April, the Egyptian denied issuing threats and blackmail charges.
But he was convicted and sentenced to three months in jail, which he will now have to serve.
salamir@thenational.ae
