Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Public Prosecution announced the arrest of a criminal gang, comprising of seven Saudi citizens who were accused of stealing SR23 million from an elderly Saudi citizen through employing fraudulent means.

The gang members were indicted for financial fraud, forgery, money laundering, and cybercrimes. The Public Prosecution filed a criminal case against the defendants at the competent court, demanding to award them stringent penalties.

It was revealed in the investigations, carried out by the Financial Fraud wing of the Public Prosecution, that the criminal gang included a number of businessmen, a licensed female lawyer, a government employee, an employee in a telecommunications company, and an employee in a real estate office. They defrauded an elderly citizen, who is suffering from health ailments and stole his money.

It was found that one of the businessmen, who impersonated as a lawyer, took advantage of his previous knowledge of the victim and his authorization for him in some real estate assets, and his knowledge of the details of his financial affairs and health condition. The impersonated businessman forged commercial contracts, and changed secrete number of the victim for electronic government services with the help of an employee in one of the government agencies. He also managed to obtain a SIM card from the telecommunications company in the victim’s name, and issued electronic bonds with the involvement of the female lawyer who represented the victim with a forged power of attorney, and filed lawsuits against the victim with false claims for assets. They carried out the bogus operation in a false location under the supervision of a real estate office employee.

These fraudulent practices resulted in taking hold of sums of money amounting to SR23 million. It was revealed that the impersonated businessman opened a law office to practice the profession without obtaining a license to carry out the fraudulent practice. It was also found that the impersonator falsified his academic qualifications and personal information with the help of the government employee.

The Public Prosecution stated that it will initiate criminal procedures and take stringent penal actions against anyone who tempts himself to defraud others, seize their money, especially by exploiting digital government procedures.