Woman embezzles Dh11M and spends on boyfriend

abu dhabi — A 33-year-old woman has been detained for allegedly embezzling Dh11 million from her workplace and spending the cash on a man who promised to marry her.

The Abu Dhabi Police said on Saturday that they arrested the woman, a GCC national, after investigations suggested that she took the advantage of her position as the head of the accounts department at an institution in Abu Dhabi to steal the amount.

The woman allegedly spent the stolen cash on a 26-year-old man, also from the GCC, in paying his bank loans, buying him luxury cars and special number plates, buying expensive gifts like branded watches and clothes, and paying his luxurious trips to Europe while travelling in business class.

The alleged fiancée, who was already married and was reportedly lying to the woman that he would marry her, was detained for exploiting her. Col Tareq Khalfan Al Ghoul, deputy director of CID at Abu Dhabi Police, said the woman’s fraudulent methods were found out after one of her colleagues discovered a transaction she carried out was not matching with the authorised procedures.

“She spent the funds on her alleged fiancée through transferring the cash to him and also buying him luxurious gifts, paying his expensive trips and others. She also spent part of the cash for the man’s brother.”

Al Ghoul said the police have recovered part of stolen cash by seizing the gifts like vehicles that were bought using the misappropriated funds. The woman confessed to embezzling the funds during the police interrogations.

She told the cops that she wanted to show her boyfriend and other loved ones that she had money and was financially sound. The young man and his brother confessed to lying to exploit her. The trio have been referred to the public prosecution.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com

deputy director, CID, Abu Dhabi

Woman’s fraudulent methods were found out after one of her colleagues discovered a transaction she carried out was not matching with the authorised procedures.”

Col Tareq Khalfan Al Ghoul,