Abu Dhabi: Asim Abdul Rahman Ghafoor Convicted for Money Laundering

(WAM) The Abu Dhabi Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Court has convicted Asim Abdul Rahman Ghafoor, a US citizen, of committing money laundering crimes linked to a US-based tax evasion operation. The court ruled in his presence to revoke the previously issued prison sentence and appealed the verdict to an AED 5 million fine, as well as confiscate the funds linked to the crime, and his deportation from the UAE.

The case was initiated following an assistance request received from US authorities regarding their investigation into the accused's involvement in tax evasion and suspicious money transfers in an attempt to conceal the illegal means by which the funds were acquired. US authorities also requested an examination of the accused's bank accounts through which he received transfers of the funds in question.

The Public Prosecution in Abu Dhabi started its procedures in implementing the request for judicial assistance and verifying the nature of the financial transactions related to those accounts and bank transfers, in coordination with the concerned authorities, as it was found that there was a money laundering crime that occurred in the country, by the accused making international money transfers without proving their source.

محكمة غسل الأموال في أبوظبي تقضي بإدانة المتهم الأمريكي عاصم عبدالرحمن غفور بارتكاب جرائم غسل الأموال pic.twitter.com/P7fdlbxZF1

— دائرة القضاء-أبوظبي (@ADJD_Official) August 10, 2022

The Public Prosecution ordered the referral of the case to the Abu Dhabi Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Court, which issued the previous sentencing of three years' imprisonment and a fine of AED 3 million, followed by deportation.

The accused has the right to appeal the ruling rendered within the period specified by law.