Latest news with #BinKhatem
Dubai Eye
14 hours ago
- Business
- Dubai Eye
Major visa fraud racket busted in Dubai, 21 convicted
The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured convictions and fines totalling over AED 25 million against 21 individuals involved in a major visa fraud case. The defendants, of various nationalities, were found guilty of illegally exploiting residence visas by operating fake companies, which they closed abruptly without regularizing the status of recruited workers. Dr. Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, said the case began after the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai flagged suspicious companies. Investigations revealed these companies had no real offices and were set up solely to obtain residency visas unlawfully. The prosecution's investigation covered 33 commercial establishments, uncovering misuse of 385 residency visas. Most of the fake companies secured licences using fictitious addresses, deliberately bypassing residency and labour laws for illegal profit. Dr. Bin Khatem emphasized the prosecution's commitment to working with authorities to uphold residency and labour regulations. The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured from the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court a conviction and a fine totalling AED25.210 million against 21 defendants of various nationalities involved in visa fraud. The individuals were found guilty in one of the… — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 24, 2025
Gulf Insider
16 hours ago
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Dubai Convicts 21 In $6.9m Phantom Visa Fraud Case
The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court has issued a landmark conviction against 21 individuals of various nationalities, sentencing them in one of the emirate's largest visa fraud cases. The defendants were fined a combined total of AED25.21m ($6.86m) for orchestrating a wide-ranging scheme that involved issuing hundreds of fraudulent residency visas through non-existent companies. The case was prosecuted by the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution following an investigation prompted by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai. Authorities uncovered a network of phantom companies set up solely to obtain residence visas under false pretences. These companies were later shut down without legalising the employment status of recruited workers, leaving many vulnerable to exploitation. According to Dr. Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, the investigation uncovered 33 shell entities operating with forged business licences and fictitious addresses. These entities were found to have been used to illegally secure and misuse a total of 385 residency visas. Dr. Bin Khatem said: 'The Public Prosecution will continue to work closely with its partners to address any violations of laws governing the entry and residence of foreigners as well as labour regulations in order to preserve the stability of society and the integrity of the labour market'. The defendants were tried before the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court, which convicted all 21 and imposed heavy financial penalties.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Dubai: 21 convicted and fined Dh25.2 million in one of the biggest residency visa fraud schemes
In a landmark ruling, Dubai's Citizenship and Residency Court has convicted 21 individuals of various nationalities in a massive residency visa fraud case, described as one of the largest of its kind in the emirate's history. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court imposed a fine of Dh25.2 million on the defendants, who were found guilty of illegally obtaining and selling 385 UAE residency visas through a complex network of fraudulent commercial establishments. How the Scheme Operated According to official details released by authorities, the accused set up 33 fake commercial establishments, businesses that existed only on paper, to illegally obtain 385 residence visas. These companies were used as fronts to recruit individuals under false employment pretenses. Once the visas were issued, the businesses were quickly shut down, leaving the recruited individuals in a legally vulnerable position without any effort to regularise their residency status. 'The companies were set up solely to obtain residence visas illegally,' said Dr Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution. The case highlights the strategic and deliberate misuse of the UAE's labour and residency systems for profit, with many of the business licences found to have been obtained using fake addresses. This was clearly a planned effort to bypass residency and labour regulations, authorities confirmed. Investigation and Arrests The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai initially flagged the suspicious activities, which led to the Public Prosecution launching a detailed investigation. This involved meticulous monitoring, repeated follow-ups, and on-ground inspections of the alleged offices of the fake companies, all of which were ultimately found to be non-existent. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Once arrested, the accused were referred to the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, which carried out further investigations. According to Dr Bin Khatem, prosecutors secured solid evidence to support a watertight case that led to the convictions. 'The Public Prosecution will continue to work closely with its partners to address any violations of laws governing the entry and residence of foreigners as well as labour regulations in order to preserve the stability of society and the integrity of the labour market,' Dr Bin Khatem added. Following the trial, the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court delivered its verdict, convicting all 21 individuals involved and slapping them with fines totalling Dh25.21 million.
TAG 91.1
18 hours ago
- Business
- TAG 91.1
Major visa fraud racket busted in Dubai, 21 convicted
The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured convictions and fines totalling over AED 25 million against 21 individuals involved in a major visa fraud case. The defendants, of various nationalities, were found guilty of illegally exploiting residence visas by operating fake companies, which they closed abruptly without regularizing the status of recruited workers. Dr. Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, said the case began after the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai flagged suspicious companies. Investigations revealed these companies had no real offices and were set up solely to obtain residency visas unlawfully. The prosecution's investigation covered 33 commercial establishments, uncovering misuse of 385 residency visas. Most of the fake companies secured licences using fictitious addresses, deliberately bypassing residency and labour laws for illegal profit. Dr. Bin Khatem emphasized the prosecution's commitment to working with authorities to uphold residency and labour regulations. The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured from the Dubai Citizenship and Residency Court a conviction and a fine totalling AED25.210 million against 21 defendants of various nationalities involved in visa fraud. The individuals were found guilty in one of the… — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 24, 2025
ARN News Center
19 hours ago
- Business
- ARN News Center
Major visa fraud racket busted in Dubai, 21 convicted
The Dubai Citizenship and Residency Prosecution has secured convictions and fines totalling over AED 25 million against 21 individuals involved in a major visa fraud case. The defendants, of various nationalities, were found guilty of illegally exploiting residence visas by operating fake companies, which they closed abruptly without regularizing the status of recruited workers. Dr. Ali Humaid bin Khatem, Senior Advocate General and Head of the Citizenship and Residency Prosecution, said the case began after the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai flagged suspicious companies. Investigations revealed these companies had no real offices and were set up solely to obtain residency visas unlawfully. The prosecution's investigation covered 33 commercial establishments, uncovering misuse of 385 residency visas. Most of the fake companies secured licences using fictitious addresses, deliberately bypassing residency and labour laws for illegal profit. Dr. Bin Khatem emphasized the prosecution's commitment to working with authorities to uphold residency and labour regulations. — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 24, 2025
