Abu Dhabi Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Court has convicted defendant Asim Abdul Rahman Ghafoor, a US citizen, on charges of money laundering offenses related to tax evasion in his country.
The court ruled in his presence of revoking the previously issued prison sentence and amended the sentence to AED 5 million fine, confiscation of the funds linked to the crime, and deportation from the UAE.
The case was initiated following an assistance request received from US authorities regarding their investigation into the accused’s involvement in tax evasion and suspicious money transfers in an attempt to conceal the illegal means by which the funds were acquired.
US authorities also requested an examination of the accused’s bank accounts through which he received transfers of the funds in question.
The Public Prosecution in Abu Dhabi started its procedures in implementing the request for judicial assistance and verifying the nature of the financial transactions related to those accounts and bank transfers, in coordination with the concerned authorities, as it was found that there was a money laundering crime that occurred in the country, by the accused making international money transfers without proving their source.
The Public Prosecution ordered the referral of the case to the Abu Dhabi Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Court, which issued the previous sentencing of three years’ imprisonment and a fine of AED 3 million, followed by deportation.
Defendants have the right to appeal against decisions made within the time limit set by law.
