Three used women's foundation logo illegally, court hears

The men are charged with presenting Dubai Women and Children's Foundation documents improperly to raise funds for a book.

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DUBAI // Three men denied this morning forging a letter and business cards from the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children to collect financial support for a book about the foundation's achievements.
The men, AA, 47, from Sudan; SM, 35, from Oman; and MR, 28 from Egypt, are accused of conspiring to unlawfully collect funds under the name of the foundation by presenting the documents to companies to collect funds for their project, Sail of Hope.
Prosecutors charged MR with forging an official letter and business cards carrying the foundation's logo and the signature of its executive director. He was also charged with opening the website www.sailhope.com for the project.

OK, a director at the foundation, told prosecutors that when she was on leave in March 2010, a man saying he was a journalist from a prominent daily newspaper in the UAE called her and offered the idea of the project.

She said she put him in contact with the foundation and, after a meeting with the executive director, who liked the idea, they agreed to proceed. She said the director gave them a letter to help them raise funds for the book.
Shortly after that agreement, the foundation received a call from a businessman who said the three men presented business cards with the foundation’s logo and introduced themselves as its representatives.
SM's brother, a Dubai police officer, testified that SM offered him a marketing job to raise funds, telling him his share would be between Dh10,000 and Dh12,000.  He said they raised about Dh40,000.
The next hearing was scheduled for May 29.

salamir@thenational.ae