11 rob two brothers of Dh7m in bitcoin deal
Legal and Court Correspondent
Eleven men tricked two brothers by luring them to a flat to purchase 200 bitcoins and stole their Dh7 million under threat and assault, the Dubai Court of First Instance heard yesterday.
According to the case, two Indian brothers were looking around in Dubai to purchase bitcoins when they came across a bitcoin broker in April. The brothers agreed to purchase 200 bitcoins from the broker for Dh7 million and decided on a place to meet and finalise the deal.
Accompanied by a compatriot friend for support, the brothers went to the Al Khubaisi area where they met the broker, who was also accompanied by two purported dealers.
Once the brothers and the broker agreed on a price, the Indians, the broker and two dealers went up to a flat on the second floor to conclude the deal. As they entered the flat, two Bangladeshi men greeted them and asked to check the money before four other men stormed into the flat. The four men posed as policemen, claimed to be from Interpol and told the brothers that the deal was illegal since it is against the UAE law to trade in bitcoins.
Murder threat
When the brothers suggested going to the police station, the suspects assaulted them and threatened to kill them with a razor before they stole their money and mobile phones and fled.
The brothers reported the matter to the police.
Police investigation revealed the identities of the eleven suspects and the first one to be arrested was a 43-year-old Emirati. Police also arrested the other suspects — six Pakistanis, two Bangladeshis, a Yemeni and one who doesn’t carry personal identification papers.
Prosecutors accused the Emirati, Yemeni, a Pakistani, 40, and the suspect without personal identification papers of luring the brothers to a flat where they beat them up, threatened to kill them and stole their Dh7 million and mobile phones. The seven other suspects, aged between 26 and 57, are charged with aiding and abetting the four and providing them with logistical support.