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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Two men went on trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after they were accused of transferring Dh17.5 million from a businessman’s account in online banking fraud.

One of the defendants,46, a Jordanian, betrayed the trust of a 58-year-old businessman, also Jordanian, after working with him as his office manager with a Dh35,333 monthly salary for 14 years.

The other defendant, an Indian who works in a local bank, helped the Jordanian defendant in committing fraud by forging multiple documents and using them to apply for an internet banking service for a client without his knowledge.

They forged the man’s signature on the application and added the mobile number and email of the Jordanian defendant.

According to official records, the Jordanian defendant had access to the victim’s documents because he worked as his office manager. He provided it to the Indian defendant to avail the online banking service.

After gaining access to the account, the Jordanian defendant made 55 online transfers worth Dh17.5 million on 2015.

The victim discovered the fraud in 2019 when the defendant was questioned by the businessman for embezzling Dh40,000.

“The defendant worked with me since 2004. I trusted him with all my assets and business. I discovered later that he embezzled my money in cooperation with the banker who handled my account in the bank,” said the businessman in records.

The Indian defendant’s responsibilities included contacting the account holder when any irregularities cropped up, but he instead he facilitated the fraud and covered it up, according to the businessman.

An official from the bank said the money was illegally obtained through online transfers made over a span of 20 months from the victim’s account to the account of the Jordanian defendant.

“The victim is a senior client for the bank and the Indian defendant used to handle his account. In 2015, we had an offer on deposits and the Jordanian defendant claimed that the victim had agreed to it and that he would prepare the documents,” said the 33-year-old Pakistani bank official in records.

However, he added that he did not know why the victim didn’t check his bank account for more than four years.

“He told me that he has many accounts in different banks and that the Jordanian defendant was following up these accounts.”

The two defendants were both charged with forgery, use of forged documents and illegally obtaining Dh17.5 million.

They denied the charges in courtroom. The next trial has been posted to October 1.

*Gulf News