What outcomes did UAE courts impose in the money laundering cases described in the NRA?
The case study outcomes in the second NRA combine imprisonment, fines, confiscation, deportation and licence revocation. Sentences ranged from three years to ten years for money laundering, with one professional launderer receiving seven years, and fines running from AED 200,000 up to AED 71.5 million in a single case.
Confiscation tracked the scheme value closely. An AED 104.6 million trade-based scheme produced a confiscation of AED 104.6 million. An AED 163 million fraud and corruption case produced confiscation of AED 163 million. An AED 61.8 million case produced confiscation of AED 61.8 million. Restitution also featured, with AED 3.3 million restored to the Federal Tax Authority in one VAT fraud case.
Licence revocation for the legal persons involved appears in almost every corporate case. For a compliance officer, that is the clearest signal that corporate criminal exposure in the UAE is real and not theoretical.
Legal Reference (source document):
· UAE Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing National Risk Assessment, 2nd NRA (2024)
· National Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting Financing of Terrorism and Financing of Illegal Organizations Committee
Scope note: outcomes are as reported in the 2nd NRA case studies and reflect decided cases within the assessment period.
Further reading: The consequences of AML non-compliance in the UAE
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