AL KHAIMAH: A fraud case involving counterfeit Global Village tickets in Ras Al Khaimah has taken a new turn after the Court of Cassation ordered it to be reviewed again by the Court of Appeal. The case centers around a group of individuals accused of deceiving a job seeker into participating in a scheme to sell fake tickets online. Using Instagram as their primary platform, the suspects presented themselves as official representatives of Global Village, thereby duping unsuspecting buyers, including one victim who paid Dh2,400 believing the tickets were legitimate.
Among the defendants is a 23-year-old woman who maintains her innocence, claiming she was unknowingly drawn into the scam while searching for employment. Represented by lawyer Hanan Salem Al Shimili, the woman says she was misled by a fraudster posing as a recruiter for a fake marketing job. She was allegedly convinced to provide her bank account details under the pretext of a trial period to sell women’s accessories. The scammer used her account to collect payments and instructed her to transfer funds to another account tied to the supposed business, all without her knowledge of the true nature of the operation.
Court records indicate that the young woman had no interaction with the other defendants and never received any form of payment or direct benefit from the transactions. Initially, the Ras Al Khaimah Misdemeanor Court acquitted all involved, but following an appeal by the Public Prosecution, the Court of Appeal overturned the verdict. It imposed a hefty Dh250,000 fine on one of the main suspects and Dh1,000 fines on the others, including the woman who claims innocence.
The woman’s legal team argues that due process was not followed, pointing to her lack of awareness of the appeal and the surprise online summons she received. Her lawyer contends that the mishandling of court procedures compromised her right to a fair trial. On those grounds, the defense has escalated the matter to the Court of Cassation, seeking to rectify what they claim is a misapplication of justice and calling for a reconsideration of the evidence and proper legal assessment.
