Source: Emirates Today – Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi Court for Family, Civil, and Administrative Claims ordered a man to return AED 420,000 to a woman after he fraudulently obtained the amount from her by falsely claiming to be an investor and persuading her to invest the money in a car rental project.
According to the case details, the woman filed a lawsuit against the man, requesting that he be ordered to repay the AED 420,000 he had taken from her, in addition to paying AED 50,000 in compensation for the material and moral damages she suffered, along with legal fees and expenses. She stated that he obtained her money through fraudulent methods after convincing her to invest in a “fake car rental project.” She also confirmed that he had been criminally convicted and fined AED 50,000.
In its reasoning, the court explained that a review of the criminal judgment showed that the defendant had been convicted in absentia for obtaining money belonging to the claimant through fraudulent means, by falsely assuming the status of an investor. The court noted that the act for which he was convicted had become final and constituted the legal basis for the civil claim. It established the legal positions of both parties and confirmed that the defendant’s liability remained for the amount seized, as determined by the criminal judgment.
The court further stated that the claimant was entitled to recover her money, particularly since the defendant failed to attend the hearings or provide evidence that he had repaid the amount. The court therefore concluded that his financial liability for the sum remained valid, making the claimant’s request legally justified.
The court also pointed out that the wrongdoing for which the defendant was criminally convicted was the same basis for the compensation claim, as he had taken the claimant’s money without legal justification, deprived her of its use, caused her loss of potential benefit during that period, and forced her to incur litigation expenses to pursue her rights through the courts, in addition to the psychological harm she suffered.
The court ordered the defendant to pay the claimant AED 420,000, AED 5,000 in material and moral compensation, as well as legal fees and case expenses.