Jordanian appeals jail term for duping friend

abu dhabi — A Jordanian man who was convicted by a lower court of duping a businessman of Dh10 million in a bogus private jet lease business, denied the charges at the appellate court on Monday. The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance had sentenced him to three years in jail.

Court documents stated that the man had convinced his compatriot friend that he had good contacts with people in the aviation industry and that they would make good profits if they partnered and invested in leasing private jets.

In the business, the accused told the victim that they would be leasing private jets from big companies and then lend them out to rich people and businessmen in the UAE and other GCC countries. He told the victim that they would then share the profits. Each person was supposed to contribute Dh10 million for the business, which required Dh20 million.

The victim told the court that he paid 10 cheques for Dh10 million to his colleague who was supposed to strike the deals with the aviation companies to start the business. The man later learned from his other friends that the Jordanian was a swindler. He lodged a complaint with the police who investigated the case and found out that the Jordanian had fled the country.

Authorities, however, managed to track him down with the help of Interpol, and he was flown back to Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance sentenced the accused to three years in jail. The court also ordered him to pay back the victim’s money. The defendant, however, told the court on Monday that he had returned most of the cash. The trial was adjourned until March 12.