Abu Dhabi court orders conman to pay AED13,600 in Golden Visa scam

The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court ordered the young man to return AED8,600 to the woman and pay her AED5,000 in compensation—bringing the total amount awarded to AED13,600—after he deceived her into believing he could finalise her Golden Visa procedures. According to court records, the woman filed a lawsuit demanding that the defendant return the AED8,600 with 12 per cent legal interest from the date of the claim. She also sought AED30,000 in compensation for the material, moral, and psychological damages she suffered, in addition to legal fees and expenses. She stated that the defendant had fraudulently obtained the funds after convincing her he could complete the procedures for her to obtain the Golden Visa, prompting her to send him the money via bank transfer. However, she later discovered she had fallen victim to fraud and reported him to the competent authorities, resulting in his criminal conviction and a fine of AED10,000. The court explained that whoever unlawfully takes the property of another must return it in the same condition and at the place it was taken. If the property is spent, destroyed, lost, or damaged—whether through transgression or otherwise—the person must provide its equivalent or its value on the day and at the place it was taken, and must also guarantee any resulting benefits and increases. The court noted that a review of the criminal ruling established that the defendant had been convicted of embezzling the AED8,600 entrusted to him to secure a benefit for the plaintiff, which formed the same basis for the civil lawsuit. It further explained that the criminal ruling had become final and conclusive, thereby establishing the legal positions of both parties and proving the defendant's liability for the claimed sum, necessitating an order to return it to the plaintiff. Regarding the compensation claim, the court stated that the defendant's fault was proven. It found that material damages were incurred by depriving the plaintiff of the use of her money, alongside moral damages stemming from the sadness and pain she experienced, both of which warranted compensation. The court in its ruling said that the defendant must pay the plaintiff AED8,600, along with AED5,000 in compensation for material and moral damages, and ordered him to cover the legal fees and expenses.