Arab Woman Impersonates Lawyer, Defrauds Asian Man of 610 Dinars

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com   

Report by H Naser

A 36-year-old Arab woman has been accused of defrauding an Asian man of 610 dinars by impersonating a lawyer. The woman, who is currently on the run, convinced the victim that she could help him resolve issues related to his employees' residency permits.

The victim, who owns a company specializing in tourism visa management, was facing problems with his employees' residency status.

A friend provided him with the phone number of the suspect, who introduced herself as a lawyer capable of resolving the issue.

Trusting her claims, the victim paid her 610 dinars, transferring part of the amount through the "Benefit" app and handing the rest to her in cash.

The woman then sent the victim two fake payment receipts and two fake court rulings via WhatsApp, claiming the problem had been solved.

However, the victim later discovered that the receipts and rulings were forged. When he confronted the woman, she admitted that she wasn't a lawyer but knew some lawyers.

An investigation by the competent authorities revealed that while a transaction with the same payment receipt number existed, it had different details.

The Public Prosecution has charged the suspect with forging an official electronic record, specifically the payment receipt for legal services allegedly issued by the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments.

She is accused of using this forged document, knowing it to be false, to defraud the victim. She is also charged with embezzlement, having received the money from the victim under the pretense of acting as his agent.

As the suspect is currently at large and did not appear in court, the High Criminal Court has scheduled a hearing to determine the next steps in the case.