The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Three men and a woman raked in Dhs1,219,500 after selling out non-existent flats, the Dubai Criminal Court heard on Wednesday.

The Asian defendants – a realty developer, 30, a female sales executive, 29, and a sales manager, 29 – with the help of the sales manager’s Arab assistant, 42, and a fugitive person faked a realty project registration document.

To facilitate the scam, they noted on the document that the project (a complex allegedly situated in Al Furjan) was registered at the Land Department. They announced the complex’s flats for sale and at very attractive prices. The sales manager, assistant and others presented the bogus document to clients. A Saudi businessman paid Dhs908,324, an Egyptian official paid Dhs81,200 and another Arab complainant paid Dhs230,000.

During Criminal Court questioning, the developer and executive refuted the allegations. The manager and his assistant said they were mere employees working in goodwill. Lawyers asked for time. Case continues on Jul.10.  On the record, the Egyptian official said he was looking for a flat. His wife discovered online ads about flats for sale at the ghost project. “I went to the mentioned headquarters of the concerned realty institution,” he explained.

“There were more than 120 saleswomen in the building’s corridors luring clients in an attractive manner through the way they dressed and acted. I met the sales manager and his assistant and discussed the purchase deal.”

He agreed to buy the two-bedroom flat at Dhs580,000. They asked him for Dhs81,200 (10 per cent of which was the down payment and 4 per cent were Land Department fees). He paid. The initial agreement was met. The sales manager signed and stamped the agreement then told him that the realty institution’s owner (the above developer who was allegedly not dealing directly with clients) would sign on the final purchase agreement.  

The official heard rumoUrs that the project was phony. He talked to a friend and learnt that the latter had purchased the same flat at Dhs50,000. “I went to the Land Department and confirmed I fell victim to a scam,” he said.

The Saudi businessman said he learnt about the project through a female acquaintance – an innocent Tunisian housewife who had joined the realty institution as a saleswoman on probation. He booked two floors and a flat. She later requested him not to book another flat because she discovered the project was not yet registered. She advised him to confirm from the Land Department. “There, I learnt that I was conned,” he complained.