Fake Lawyer Jailed for Visa Scam

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A woman who posed as a lawyer and swindled BD610 from a visa company owner by sending him fake court rulings over WhatsApp has been sentenced to three years in jail and fined BD1,000. The First High Criminal Appeals Court upheld her sentence and ordered her deportation after serving her time.

The victim, a businessman handling tourist visas, sought help for workers facing residency permit issues. A friend provided the woman’s contact, and she assured him she could resolve the matter. Trusting her, he transferred part of the payment via BenefitPay and handed over the rest in cash.

Days later, she sent him what appeared to be official payment receipts and court rulings, claiming the problem had been settled. However, when he checked, the documents turned out to be fake. Confronted, she admitted she wasn’t a lawyer but claimed to have legal connections.

Investigations by the Information & eGovernment Authority revealed inconsistencies in the payment records, while Benefit confirmed the money had gone directly to her.

Prosecutors charged her with forging an official electronic record—specifically, a court case payment receipt linked to the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs, and Endowments—by altering details to make it appear genuine. She was also convicted of knowingly using forged documents and defrauding the victim out of his money.