Dubai Property investors petition Emirates Ruler over unfinished Real Estate Project

Dubai Remraam Community Real Estate Investors have petitioned the emirate’s ruler

Property Investors in Dubai’s Remraam Community have petitioned the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to intervene in a dispute with the project’s developer, after they were told they risked fines if they failed to accept the handover of properties in the unfinished complex, Arabian Business reported.

The Dubai Properties Group development was scheduled to complete in June 2010, complete with pools, malls, landscaping and retail features. But owners said in a petition to the Ruler’s Court that they were being forced to accept properties without water and electricity connections.

The document, seen by Arabian Business and signed by 37 buyers, asked the court to intervene to insist DPG commit to connecting homes to utilities and developing promised infrastructure.

Buyers have also asked for compensation for losses incurred during the delay of the handover, such as interest on mortgage payments.

continue reading original source Arabian Business

Dubai Property Fraud – Indian Dubai International City Apartment owner shocked

Dubai Gulf News reported today that in a shocking case of property fraud, an Indian resident in Dubai has been locked out of his own apartment that was sold to someone else while he was travelling.

The shocked owner told the Newspaper:

On January 8, Memon, who bought the 914 square foot apartment for a little over Dh250,000 got its title deed transferred to his name. The same day Sameer lodged a complaint with the public prosecution seeking criminal action against Port Real Estate, Memon and Dinara for cheating and fraud. “It looks like they used a forged power of attorney. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that I would be fighting a case of house grabbing in Dubai. I bought this apartment with my hard-earned money. My wife and I spent days furnishing it. Now everything is gone — not just the house but its entire belongings worth several thousand dirhams. I want justice,” he said.

continue reading Gulf News

Abu Dhabi Dubai bail out 2011

Aldar announced it is selling assets to the government and receiving debt support to the tune of $4.6bn, after receiving a rescue package of $5.2bn in January. That brings the total amount of government aid in Aldar’s 2011 begging bowl to near $10bn. No wonder shareholders are so happy.

That figure is in line with the financial injection that neighbouring Dubai had to pump into the listing ship Nakheel in late 2009 as the business hub, the second largest emirate after oil rich Abu Dhabi, almost teetered over into default.

Of course, it was only the generosity of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, that allowed Dubai to pull back from the cliff’s edge, thanks to a $10bn bailout loan.

The UAE had earlier in 2009 loaned another $10bn to Dubai as the size of its $110bn debt problem came into clearer view.

continue reading .. original source Financial Times Blog

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Dubai sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum fails to attend court hearing in London over ‘secret wife’

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, the head of Emirates Airlines and a member of Dubai’s ruling family, is accused of undergoing an unofficial marriage to the mother of his illegitimate child. He failed to attend a hearing at the High Court in London intended to clarify his relationship with the former model.

Miss El-Gamal wants the judge to rule that the marriage took place, declare it null and void and therefore put her in a position to claim maintenance

source …continue reading…. TheTelegraph UK

read also … source The Telegraph UK

Justice Bodey has rejected the hurtful assertion by the Sheikh that there was no such marriage .

and read ….

Secret wife’ of Dubai sheikh Ahmed seeks UK asylum

Dubai Developer Nakheel threatens defaulters with arrest

Nakheel denied 1,386 Palm Jumeirah Residents  access to beach clubs

Nakheel on Sunday banned more than 1,300 residents on its flagship Palm Jumeirah project from using the beaches, pools and gyms in the first stage of a controversial plan to charge for the use of facilities.

Owners or tenants living in these properties have now been denied access to any facilities, and were warned they could be arrested if they attempted to enter the pool and gym areas.

source …..continue reading ….Arabian Business and Emirates 247

Wishing you a happy and safe holiday from all of us

Dubai debts are alarming and back on the agenda

Moody’s report on Dubai raises further concerns for investors.

For two years after the 2009 crisis, Dubai and its debts are back on the agenda, And they are big. It can be hard to compare debts between countries especially when they have different cultural and financial set-ups. Dubai has a population of some 2 million although only some 400,000 are citizens, the rest immigrants ranging from street sweepers to stockbrokers.

However based on 2 million, Dubai with debt of just over $100bn has levels per head comparable with Greece.

Based on the real citizens (400.000)  Dubai´s  debts are alarming.

Separately, Fitch Ratings said in a report that the United Arab Emirates’ key banks are facing some strong headwinds.

Read also: Dubai´s debt warning bells are ringing again

Read also:

Moody’s: Debt profile of Dubai state-owned corporates has evolved, but refinancing risks remain

UAE Activists freed from jail

UAE Activist Ahmed Mansoor and his Lawyer Dr. Mohammed Al Roken

On Sunday, after being held in prison for almost eight months, the five were convicted of insulting the UAE’s leadership, endangering national security and inciting people to protest.

Then a day later, they received a presidential pardon and were freed.

One of the five, Ahmed Mansour is a prominent blogger. Another, Nasser bin Gaith, is an economics professor who has lectured at Paris’ Sorbonne university in Abu Dhabi.

The two told The Associated Press that they spent days in solitary confinement in Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba prison. The rest of the time they were held with convicted killers, terrorists, rapists, adulterous, drug dealers and pirates.

“It’s a mixed feeling to be out,” bin Gaith told the AP after his release. “I am with my family, but our arrests mark the beginning of a police state in the UAE.”

source CBS News ….continue reading

read also …...

UAE detained Activists have started Hunger Strike

UAE 5 detained Activists start Hunger Strike November 15, 2011

The five have now started a hunger strike, which they announced in a joint statement saying their open-ended strike aims to reveal the truth to the Emirati people and to demand conducting investigations regarding the seven months they have so far spent in prison. The activists have also referred to the mistreatment and frustration their families are having to endure as they have been targeted by campaigns such as the campaign run by anonymous persons nicknamed Lethal Character (Shaksiyya Fatake) and Proud Emirati, which have fomented a climate of general hostility to them and their families. They say this campaign has even interfered with a judicial proceeding.

International organizations have offered more attention to the case of the five UAE activists than netizens. One can find few reactions towards their case in social networks. Also, instead of support, one can read many insulting messages towards them written by anonymous accounts that use the pictures of UAE rulers as their Twitter avatars or Facebook profile pictures. Some of the sympathatic reactions also came from outside the UAE.

continue reading source Globalvoices

Detained UAE Activists Planning Hunger Strike

Human Rights Watch reports that the Five activists jailed seven months ago for “publicly insulting” United Arab Emirates officials plan to begin a hunger strike on November 13, 2011, Human Rights Watch said today. The activists said the hunger strike will continue until authorities release them unconditionally and end all judicial proceedings against them.

In a joint statement on November 11, they detailed violations of their basic rights by judiciary, prosecution, and prison officials, including their prolonged detention on politically motivated charges and a patently unfair trial. The five said they were “compelled” to go on a hunger strike after languishing in prison for seven months and having “exhausted all possible means of redress.” International rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have documented numerous fair trial violations and say that the case against the five is a gross violation of their right to freedom of expression.

United Arab Emirates UAE5 Trial 2011

 

“Every month that these men remain locked up on absurd charges of insulting UAE rulers further undermines the government’s claim that this is an open and tolerant country,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “This trial is all about zero tolerance for political dissent and has nothing to do with justice or security.”

The prosecution of the five men violates guarantees of free speech under the UAE’s constitution as well as international human rights law, Human Rights Watch said.

The Federal Supreme Court, which is trying the case, has said it will issue a verdict on November 27.

In their statement, the activists said they have endured a “vicious, orchestrated smear campaign” through text messages, social media, and satellite channels. They said they and their lawyers have made numerous criminal complaints to officials, including the attorney general, public prosecutors, and police officers, but that their complaints have been ignored. Authorities consistently failed to investigate threats against them, including death threats, they said.

The five also said that, “The pressure and mobilization of public opinion to ensure our conviction for a crime that we have not been proven to have committed – all of this has stifled public liberties in general, and particularly freedom of opinion and expression, in our dear country to which we pledge our exclusive allegiance.”

The activists’ statement called on the government to set up an independent fact-finding commission to investigate the circumstances of their arrests, detention, and trial.

The five activists, who were arrested in April and whose trial opened on June 14, are: Ahmed Mansoor, an engineer and blogger; Nasser bin Ghaith, an economist, university lecturer at Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, and an advocate for political reform; and the online activists Fahad Salim Dalk, Ahmed Abdul-Khaleq, and Hassan Ali al-Khamis.

Dubai 1000 Hotelfonds – Erfolg für Investoren – Haftbefehl Georg Recker Dubai

Nach Entscheidungen des Oberlandesgerichts (OLG) Hamm unter den Aktenzeichen I-8 U 51/11; I-8 U 55/11; I-8 U 71/11 und I-8 U 72/11 haben nunmehr knapp 1.000 Investoren in den „Dubai 1000 Hotel-Fonds“ berechtigte Aussichten, zumindest einen Teil ihrer Vermögensverluste erstattet zu bekommen.

Dubai 1000 Hotelfond - Internationaler Haftbefehl Fondinitiatior Georg Recker Dubai

Der seit Ende 2008 per internationalem Haftbefehl gesuchte Fonds-Initiator Recker entzieht sich weiterhin erfolgreich dem Zugriff der deutschen Strafverfolgung. Das vor Monaten in die Wege geleitete Rechtshilfeersuchen dümpelt vor sich hin, ob Recker nach wie vor in Dubai unter Hausarrest stehe, sei unklar, hieß es gestern von der Dortmunder Staatsanwaltschaft. „Aber wir verlieren nicht die Geduld“, sagte deren Sprecherin Dr. Ina Holznagel. Das Problem ist, dass zwischen dem Emirat und der Bundesrepublik kein Auslieferungsabkommen existiert.

Source WA

IBA Dubai 2011: The Conference that Almost Never Was’

Lawyers attending last week’s International Bar Association (IBA) conference in Dubai have slammed the event after several discussion sessions were altered and one even ditched at the last minute.

The International Bar Association which prides itself as the global voice of the legal profession holds an annual conference every year. Countries, and cities, make concerted bids for hosting rights and the prestige and mileage, not to mention the spending power of thousands of international lawyers and their families, it brings to the winning countries are unquantifiable.

IBA Dubai 2011 conference

Dubai, UAE as a hosting city had therefore been determined as many as five years back and delegates had known it would be the host city.

Preparations began in earnest for the conference, with the IBA receiving what it described as ‘firm support and assistance from the Dubai authorities’.

However, just five weeks to the conference the Association received an unprecedented bombshell that the conference was to be cancelled.

The UAE security branch cited concerns that its content might precipitate instability in the region.

continue reading .. source….

and TheLawyer.com

European couple is crying foul over a substandard unit sold to them by Damac in Dubai

Gulf News Dubai reported that Wahida and her husband, Mustafa Alibhai, both Swedish citizens, said they bought at shop at Lakeview Tower at Jumeirah Lake Towers Area from Damac  for Dh1.2 million, only to realise it fell short of their expections. Literally. The height of the mezzanine floor shop is just 2.1 metres, considered “unfit” for human occupancy .

The couple, who were textile merchants in Stockholm before they moved to Dubai, planned on putting up an apparel or a coffee shop in the 622-square-foot unit. They completed the payment on time in July 2009.

Quote in Gulf News Niall McLoughlin, Senior Vice President, Damac Properties, said,

‘’You will understand that I cannot go into details on individual customers’ cases albeit to say that the unit in question is fit for purpose and compliant with all prerequisites and requirements as per the sales and purchase agreement. However, as a gesture of goodwill, our customer relationship team have been working very hard with this customer to offer an alternative solution. This has included other units within the same project and also a variety of other units in other projects.”

However, when the couple did not like any of the properties offered, they said they were told by Damac to “take it or leave it”

continue reading…….. source Gulf News

Unbelievable Smear Campaign against detained UAE blogger Ahmed Mansoor

DUBAI (Reuters) – The family of Ahmed Mansoor a blogger on trial for calling for political change in the United Arab Emirates has condemned what it calls a smear campaign against him and urged the government to try to rein in people calling for his death.

United Arab Emirates Blogger Trial 2011 Ahmed Mansoor Human Rights Activist

Ahmed Mansoor is one of five activists accused of encouraging protests, insulting the country’s rulers and disrupting public order earlier this year, in a case described by rights groups as a travesty of justice.

In a statement distributed by his lawyer Mohammed al-Roken, Mansoor’s family said a widely-circulated voice message inviting people to kill him in the run-up to the latest court hearing was proof of an organised effort to provoke violence against him.

The voice message consisted of a poem which names Mansoor and concludes: “Anyone who kills him is excused,” the statement said.

“Our son Ahmed has been subjected to all kinds of incitement and betrayal and doubt in his devotion and insults and slurs against him and his father and elderly mother,” the statement added.

“We call on the authorities and public opinion to intervene to prevent ongoing infringements against our son.”

The family said messages spread via the Internet, phone and television channels had also demanded Mansoor’s citizenship be revoked.

“What has happened during this period is strange to the morals and values of Emirati society and a blatant interference in the work of the judiciary, which turns public opinion against Ahmed and his imprisoned friends in an unprecedented way.”

Mansoor, the main defendant in the trial, is accused of running a website where others could express anti-government views.

“Ahmed Mansoor is innocent and he has not yet been convicted of any crime and it has not been proven at all that he wrote or said anything to insult (the rulers),” his family said.

The UAE, the world’s third biggest oil exporter, has not seen the kind of protests that have rocked Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria.

A verdict in the trial, which began in June, is expected in late November.

read also and sign the PETITON to Free the 5 UAE Activists

read also ……

Emirates Activists’ Trial Denounced As Violation Of International Law

ACI Fonds Dubai Betrug – Anleger Demo vor der Staatsanwaltschaft Bielefeld

Schon seit einem halben Jahr schmort am Landgericht Bielefeld  die Betrugs-Anklageschrift der Staatsanwaltschaft gegen Robin (41) und dessen Vater Hanns-Uwe Lohmann (65) aus Gütersloh, ohne dass sich etwas tut. Morgen wollen die Opfer auf die Straße gehen.

Die Initiatoren von sechs gescheiterten Dubai-Wolkenkratzer-Fonds der ACI (Alternative Capital Invest) GmbH laufen unbehelligt herum. Dem Junior konnte die Anklageschrift noch nicht einmal zugestellt werden, weil er sich nicht in Deutschland, sondern in Holland aufhalten soll.Die Straf-Justiz verzichtet aber auf die Möglichkeit einer öffentlichen Zustellung im Elektronischen Bundesanzeiger. Und den 6.000 ACI-Anlegern, die um 275 Millionen Euro eingezahlter Gelder bangen, läuft wegen der dreijährigen Verjährungsfrist die Zeit davon.

Demo um 13.30 Uhr vor der Staatsanwaltschaft Bielefeld

Deshalb hat die Interessengemeinschaft IG ACI-Anleger e.V. aus Hillesheim, in der sich 2.000 Anleger zusammengeschlossen haben, für den morgigen Mittwoch (2. November 2011) zu einer Demonstration durch die Bielefelder Innenstadt aufgerufen. Die Anleger treffen sich um kurz nach 13 Uhr vor der Staatsanwaltschaft Bielefeld (Rohrteichstraße 16) und wollen mit Kind und Kegel sowie Freunden und Bekannten die Justiz aus dem vermeintlichen Dornröschenschlaf erwecken. Der Marsch endet vor dem Haupteingang des Landgerichts Bielefeld (Niederwall 71).

“Ich bin ein geschädigter Anleger und will einfach nur mein Geld zurück”, erklärt der Eingetragene Kaufmann Berthold Michel (Finanzberatung und Anlagemanagement) aus Aschaffenburg dem Finanznachrichtendienst GoMoPa.net, warum er sich von Bayern nach NRW auf den Weg macht. “Presse, Funk und Fernsehen sind informiert und werden um 13.30 Uhr in der Rohrteichstraße 16 anwesend sein.” Einen Weg, wie er sein Geld zurückerlangen kann, hat er noch nicht gefunden. “Da haben mir bislang weder Rechtsanwälte noch Journalisten helfen können.” Dennoch gibt der Bayer nicht auf.

Ebenso wie der Geschäftsführer der IG ACI-Anleger e.V., Rainer Regnery von Regnery & Partner Financial Wealth Management aus Hillesheim. Regnery vereitelte die Pläne der Lohmanns, die zur Insolvenz angemeldeten Fondsgesellschaften II bis V wegen nicht vorhandener Gläubiger und wegen Masselosigkeit von Amts wegen löschen zu lassen.

Mit Scheinrechnungen und falschen Gutachten wollten die Lohmanns 80 Prozent der Fondsgelder einfach abschreiben lassen. Doch das Insolvenzgericht (Amtsgericht Bielefeld) will sehen, wo dann wenigstens die 20 Prozent vorhandener Gelder hin sind. Die Lohmanns spielen auf Zeit.

Während der Sohn nicht auffindbar ist (auch nicht an seiner alten Adresse in Dubai, weil dort die Staatsanwaltschaft mit einem Haftbefehl wartet), könne Lohmann-Senior wichtige Dokumente und Unterlagen nicht finden. Die ACI-Anleger fragen auch hier, wie lange sich die Justiz noch hinhalten lassen will.

Das ist deshalb wichtig, weil die noch verbliebenen zwei Fonds VI und VI aufgrund derselben Gutachten kleingerechnet und zum 31. Dezember 2011 aufgelöst werden, wenn die Anleger nichts dagegen unternehmen. Nur wenn die Fonds weiterbestehen, können die Anleger Zwangsvollstreckungen gegen die Emittenten einleiten und sie zwingen, endlich zu erklären, wo die Gelder wirklich gelandet sind.

Bei den Fonds VI und VII habe Vater Lohmann seinem Sohn ein Genussrecht über 84 Millionen Euro als kostenloses Darlehen eingeräumt. Bei den Fonds II bis V wurden Grundstücke in Dubai gar nicht im Namen der Fonds, sondern durch die ACI GmbH gekauft und ins Grundbuch eingetragen, die nicht den Anlegern, sondern allein den Lohmanns gehört. Robin Lohmann besitzt in Deutschland mehrere Firmen, die er sich mit Anlegergeldern über seine ACI Real Estate LLC zusammengekauft hat. So die Kunststofftechnik Vogelsang GmbH aus Gevelsberg bei Düsseldorf oder die Kerzenmanufaktur Eika in Fulda.

ACI-Fonds II – V: Sachbestandsbericht des Insolvenzverwalters

Der vom Gericht bestellte Insolvenzverwalter hat zu den Fonds seine Sachstandsberichte abgegeben, zuletzt am 12. August 2011 zum ACI-Fonds IV, in dem vieles bestätigt wird, was die IG ACI-Anleger e.V. schon seit langem vermutet und befürchtet hatte. Er führt dort unter anderem aus:

Zitat:

1. Die Anlegergelder des Fonds wurden von der Treuhandkommanditistin DMI auf ein privates Konto von ACI-Geschäftsführer Robin Lohmann in Dubai gezahlt, über deren Verwendung bis heute keine vollständigen konkreten Nachweise (Kontoauszüge et cetera) vorgelegt wurden.

2. Anwälte haben erhebliche Schwierigkeiten, dem Hauptverantwortlichen ACI-Geschäftsführer Robin Lohmann Klagen zuzustellen. Er hat offiziell nur einen Wohnsitz in Dubai, wo er aber erkennbar nur eine nicht zustellungsfähige Scheinadresse hat. Er wurde nachweislich seit 1 1/2 Jahren nicht mehr in Dubai gesehen und wird dort mit Haftbefehl gesucht.

3. Die ACI-Geschäftsführer Hanns Uwe Lohmann und Robin Lohmann kommen ihrer Auskunftspflicht gegenüber der Insolvenzverwaltung nicht beziehungsweise nur in unzureichendem Umfang nach.

4. Die Jahresabschlüsse der Wirtschaftsprüfer Hecker & Kollegen, Gütersloh, basieren auf der rechtlich nicht zulässigen und tatsächlich nicht umgesetzten Liquidation der Gesellschaft zum 31. Dezember 2008, der wiederum der als Scheinvertrag einzuordnende Kaufvertrag mit der Firma Yama International LLC vom 29. Dezember 2008 zugrunde lag.

Anmerkung der IG ACI-Anleger e.V.: “Kein Wunder, dass die teilweise erheblichen Verlustzuweisungen, die die Wirtschaftsprüfer den Anlegern zu ihren Fondsbeteiligungen übersandt hatten, bis heute von den Finanzbehörden nicht anerkannt wurden.”

Selbst bei den Gläubigerversammlungen versuchte Hanns-Uwe Lohmann zu tricksen

Quelle    PDF

Bahrain royal Sheikh Isa bin Ali al-Khalifa accused in $6m bribe case

A senior member of Bahrain’s royal family has been named as a co-conspirator in bribery charges against a leading London-based businessman over contracts between Alcoa, the US aluminium group, and Bahrain Aluminium, or Alba.

Sheikh Isa bin Ali al-Khalifa, an adviser to the Gulf kingdom’s influential prime minister, is accused by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office of receiving bribes of almost $6m in 2003-04 from Victor Dahdaleh, a British-Canadian businessman.

source Financial Times …..contiune reading Financial Times

Denton Wilde Sapte sued for $3.7m in Dubai

Denton Wilde Sapte sued in Dubai Arabian Business reported

A legal firm in Dubai is being sued for $3.65m after being accused by a former client of professional negligence, in a lawsuit thought to be the first of its kind to be brought before the Dubai International Financial Centre courts, Arabian Business reported.

Denton Wilde Sapte & Co (DWS), a London law firm with offices in DIFC, is being sued by Dubai-based Injazat Technology Fund, a unit of private equity firm Injazat Capital Limited, over its counsel relating to a 2006 investment in Broadlink Research.

The central allegation from ITF is that the law firm, which has since been renamed SNR Denton following a merger, led it into three-year arbitration proceedings because it failed to identify the clause ahead of its expiry at the end of 2007.

SNR Denton & Co declined to comment when contacted by Arabian Business.

“We are aware of the proceedings. However, I am sure you will appreciate that we cannot comment on ongoing litigation,” Michael Kerr, a partner at the firm, said in an emailed response.

continue reading…. source Arabian Business

Criminal Complaint filed in Germany against Dubai Developer Al Fajer Properties

Criminal Complaint filed in Germany against Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum CEO of Dubai Developer Al Fajer Properties

Germany – Dubai 2011

A German elderly couple , today 80 + 50 years old who have been Dubai Tourists since a decade, bought in 2005 an apartment at Nakheel´s Dubai Residential Falcon Tower located on Plot H3 Jumeirah Lake Towers. The completion of this Tower should be  March 2008 but the apartment was never delivered and they end up in a Horror scenario when the development was transferred from Nakheel to Al Fajer Properties in 2006.

Criiminal Complaint filed in Germany against Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum CEO of Al Fajer Properties

After have been mislead, deprived of their property rights by illegal actions and extortion  ,financial and mental extremely damaged by receiving several threats from Al Fajer Properties since 2008 upon 2009,  a criminal complaint was filed in Germany already in August  2009 against the CEO and President of Al Fajer Properties, Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum. The witness hearings and investigations in Germany are still going on.

History

In 2006 the Residential development Falcon Tower Jumeirah Lake Towers was transferred from Nakheel to DMCC ( 100% Government) and Al Fajer Properties was named by DMCC as new Developer of the Falcon Tower.
DMCC ensured in writing that the terms of Al Fajer´s purchase was that Al Fajer Properties will developing the Falcon Tower with the same design, same unit specifications and price at which the couple purchased original at Nakheel. It was agreed between Al Fajer Properties to take 1:1 over the once valid contractual obligation – just the completion date will be now in December 2008.
DMCC transferred the 45 % already paid installments paid once by the couple to Nakheel, in 2007 to the account of Al Fajer Properties.

A Financial Statement, hold by the couple, from DMCC and Al Fajer Properties shows this evidently.

The process was accompanied by a lawyer of the couple, the correspondence show evidence that Al Fajer agreed to the named conditions and stept 1:1 in the former contractual obligations.

Left in the illusion everything went fine, Al Fajer Properties start in 2008 to threat the couple to sign and agree to a new contract.This contract was given to the couple in November 2007 in form of a draft in presence of their lawyer and staff members of Al Fajer Properties. It was a blank document , containing only terms and conditions but not containing any Building constitution, no Apartment specification, no price, and no other relevant declarations. It was a draft with no specification. Within this draft Al Fajer themself was not named as developer, just as seller.  The Tower on Plot H3 was quoted in the Header now as Mixed Use Building ( Residential/Commercial)  and renamed to Jumeirah Business Centre 8.

Several correspondence upon January 2008 sent to Al Fajer Properties to complete the relevant documentation failed. Al Fajer Properties didn`t provide the relevant Documentation.

March 2008 Al Fajer Properties appointed  a new CEO and President, Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum. Starting on March 10, 2008 the couple received threats from Al Fajer´s lawyer Michael Kerr,  Denton Wilde Sapte,  to deprive them of the property and simply return the amount,unless they did not sign and agree to the incomplete blank draft contract.

After receiving this threats from Al Fajer Properties, the lawyer of the couple ask Al Fajer to refrain from such illegal actions. The actions of Al Fajer have been mentioned to RERA Dubai.

Al Fajer Properties didn`t retrain and repeated in letters upon 31 March 2008 the same threats to the couple.

After this date it remain silent and Al Fajer didn`t react.

A letter wrote by the couple to Al Fajer Properties in June 2008, brought a reaction of Michael Kerr Denton Wilde Sapte, a lawyer namely instructed to do so by the CEO  Maktoum Hasher Maktoum, and showed willingness to pay a full compensation based on the damage cause by Al Fajer Properties to the couple. The discussion was about the sum and damage caused by Al Fajer, based upon the event to enable the couple to buy an adequate apartment. The market price of such an apartment was at that time over 2 Million AED.

After several delays of Al Fajer´s lawyer to step in a negotiation, a concrete willingness from Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum to provide a fair compensation was shown in September 2008.

The correspondence was hold in written form via Email between the lawyers.

A clear calculation about the caused damage and the therefrom resulted compensation sum was presented by the couples lawyer. But Maktoum Hasher Maktoum rejected this  and set out a fixed sum, which would have caused the couple still a damage of 600.000 AED.

Finally the so called good will of Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum end up in further threats by Al Fajer Properties upon a statement October 2008 from his lawyer Michael Kerr Denton Wilde Sapte , by not taking the now offered amount,  to return only the amount of the once paid 45%. ( 345.000 AED).  Within this letter have also been threatened that they contacted in April 2008 a Journalist providing him what happened to them, they would get in trouble if they made the story public in the future.

No more correspondence sent to Al Fajer Properties or their  lawyer were answered after January 2009.

Later it was revealed by the couple , over a document provided to a foreign court, that Al Fajer Properties CEO Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum sold on March 31, 2008 the Tower Plot H3 Jumeirah Lake Towers as a 100% Commercial Tower to Dynasty Zarooni .
The Price per sqft within this MOU, agreed between this parties, was 2050 AED. This however was nearly the triple of the price Al Fajer had to deliver the 1098 sqft apartment of the couple,  purchase it for total 775 000 AED and on which was Al Fajer in the contractual obligation to deliver it.

This document in original also revealed that Al Fajer Properties didn`t  intend to develop a Residential Building on Plot H3, nor a Residential Mixed use Building like quoted in their new draft contract on March 2008, the time frame in which the deal with Dynasty Zarooni was already arranged and new Brochures have been already in the printing for a sales promotion of the now  100 % Commercial Tower on Plot H3.

This document uncovered why the couple should have been mislead and been left in the illusion of a now Mixed used Residential Tower, the reason of unwillingness of  Al Fajer Properties to provide the missing declaration and documentation of the building constitution within the draft contract, to which they extorted the couple several times to sign in March 2008 .

Upon today October 2011, Al Fajer Properties is still holding the since 2005 45% paid installments ( 345.000 AED) from the couple and is not showing any positive will to repay this amount nor remembering the once shown will of a compensation.

The Tower however on Plot H3 Jumeirah Lake Towers , which was converted by Al Fajer in a Commercial Building in March 2008 ,renamed to Jumeirah Business Centre 8 , sold in March 2008 to Dynasty Zarooni, is not completed until today.

From 2010 until 2011 Al Fajer Properties was several times contacted directly via email and an adress of a Lawyer who presented Maktoum Hasher. Within this correspondence it has been asked several times to pay the outstanding debts to the couple. Upon today Al Fajer Properties resists to do so.
In a last correspondence hold with an other lawyer of Al Fajer Properties in 2010 it was quoted, that his client, Maktoum Hasher Maktoum cannot remember that the couple had ever claims against him and that he never offered to repay the investments for the purchased accommodation. His further provocation was : ” Can you please send a copy of whatever contract you believe exists between Al Fajer Properties and your clients” ” If you supply evidence to support their assertion losses attributable to Al Fajer, my client ( Maktoum Hasher) will then review it.

The lawyer was after this correspondence informed that a criminal complaint ( by providing him a copy of the complaint) was already filed against his client and that  it is extremely remarkable, due to the evident correspondence of March 2008 until October 2008 from other lawyers of Al Fajer,  that his client Maktoum Hasher Maktoum start now in 2010 to simulate  not to be in the acknowledge that there was still a claim against Al Fajer Properties and him and that he cannot remember his acts,when he threat them in March and October by saying  just returning a refund of the paid installments to the couple.

Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Juma Al Maktoum who comitted this fraud to the German couple didn`t pay back the money ( over 60 000 Euro) he hold in the accounts of Al Fajer Properties since 2007  nor did he pay the compensation upon today in 2011.

____________________________________________________________

Other Investors who bought offices from Al Fajer Properties development Jumeirah Business Centre ( Eboy Ivory Tower) after Al Fajer Properties deal with Dynasty Zarooni in March 2008 had also been in trouble with his His Highness Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Maktoum Juma Al Maktoum……..

continue reading Reuters “Angry International Investors Demand Investigation in $630 Million Dubai Real Estate Scandal “

Angry International Investors Demand Investigation in $630 Million Dubai Real Estate Scandal

and

Iranian conned by Dubai ruling family  

Wall Street Journal pdf

Dubai property scandal claim emerges amid media blackout

UAE Activists boycotted to appear in court

Dubai – The case of Bin Gaith and four others returned to court Sunday in Abu Dhabi, where they face accusations of threatening the UAE’s stability by joining Internet campaigns calling for a greater public voice in the country’s affairs.

The 42-year-old Emirati, a decorated former air force pilot who holds degrees in law and international trade, comes from a prominent Dubai family with a long history of serving its rulers. He’s lectured at one of the country’s showcase institutions, the Abu Dhabi branch of Paris’ Sorbonne university, and worked as a legal adviser for the Emirates’ armed forces.

Yet the United Arab Emirates now considers him a potential enemy of the state.

The five activists – jailed since April – boycotted the session as part of demands for bail and to protest their treatement as alleged state security risks.

.For the first time, however, authorities opened the previously closed-door hearings to the public.

The police officer in charge of bringing the five defendants to the hearing told the State Security Court that they “refused to come,” without any further explanation, an AFP reporter said. One of their lawyers, Mohamed al-Roken, told the court that the defendants accused of insulting top United Arab Emirates officials refused to attend the hearing after their demands were not met.

The five men, four of whom are Emirati and one stateless, are demanding to “obtain all documents related to the trial, allow the defence to question all witnesses,” as well as an “end to their ill-treatment,” Roken told the court.
“They are denied their basic rights. Their rights were violated,” said Roken, as the wife Wedad al-Muhairi of one of the defendants, Nasser bin Gaith, broke down in tears. “They are treated worse than criminals,” he said.  (source Gulf Times)

In court Sunday, prosecutors played a video montage of patriotic images – including the UAE’s founder Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan – in an apparent attempt to mock the activists’ calls for reforms.

“They are all Emirati!” shouted defense lawyer Mohammed Roken. “They are all sons of Zayed!”

On April 17, bin Gaith’s regular column ran in an Abu Dhabi financial paper, Roayam Iqtisadiyya. Students at the Sorbonne were in class, waiting for bin Gaith to give one of the last classes before exams. He never showed up.

A day earlier, state security agents lured him from his Dubai villa to Abu Dhabi, the capital, and arrested him on the spot, his family said.

source StarNews….original written by Barbara Surk ……continue reading

and Gulf Times

Austrian consul in UAE accused of cooperating with an impostor

An Austrian diplomat is accused of cooperating with an impostor, it has emerged.

The Austrian Kurier newspaper reports that the Austrian consul in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Gerhard Dedic, advised Austrians asking for juridical support to get in touch with Mohamadziad Naim Al Kawadri. The daily paper claims that the Syrian is not registered as a lawyer in the UAE’s official registry. It also disclosed that Al Kawadri used different passports which gave his age as 61 to 73.

Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, a spokesman for the Austrian foreign ministry, announced internal investigations against Dedic had started. He explained the ministry was closely cooperating with prosecutors in Vienna to check the accusations brought forward against the Austrian who was assigned as Austrian consul in the UAE in 2007.

Al Kawadri is suspected of human trafficking, fraud and corruption, according to the Kurier. Ingvild Moritsch, a Dubai-based lawyer from Austria, is quoted as saying by the paper: “There are many victims (of his actions). Germans, Austrians and Spaniards contacted me (for help).”

Eugen Adelsmayr – an Austrian doctor currently in court in Dubai for manslaughter – told the paper the Syrian also got in touch with him. “I gave him full power of attorney but withdrew it when I realised that he is a conman,” the medic – who faces the death penalty – said.

Österreichs Konsul in Abu Dhabi soll hilfesuchenden Österreichern einen mutmaßlichen Hochstapler als Rechtsbeistand vermittelt haben. Die Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt

Der österreichische Konsul in Abu Dhabi, Gerhard Dedic, wird von der Staatsanwaltschaft Wien in einem Fall des Amtsmissbrauchs und der Veruntreuung verdächtigt. Das bestätigte eine Sprecherin der Staatsanwaltschaft, Michaela Schnell, heute. Der Diplomat habe möglicherweise mit dem Syrer Mohammed Sijad Naim al-Kawadri und einer weiteren Person gemeinsame Sache gemacht.

Kooperation mit syrischem Hochstapler?

Kawadri ist laut einem Bericht des „Kurier“ (Mittwoch-Ausgabe) eine „Schlüsselfigur“ beim illegalen Handel mit Visa und bei Schleppereidelikten in den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten. Die Staatsanwaltschaft wisse seit Juli von den Vorwürfen und ermittle seit „rund einem Monat“ gegen Dedic und Kawadri, sagte Schnell.

original source ORF Austria …continue reading……

Weiter Informationen zu diesem Thema auch unter:   www.saubere-haende.org und www.alloexpat.com

ACI Dubai Investmentfonds Dubios – Klage wegen Betruges gegen Robin Lohmann nicht zustellbar

In Deutschland liegt gegen Robin Lohmann und dessen Vater Hanns-Uwe seit April 2011 eine Anklage der Bielefelder Staatsanwaltschaft wegen Betruges (Verschweigen von Nachteilen in allen Fondsprospekten aus den Jahren 2006 und 2007) vor.

Diese Anklage konnte aber bis heute nicht persönlich zugestellt werden, da Robin Lohmann in Deutschland keinen festen Wohnsitz habe und eine Zustellung in Dubai aussichtslos erscheine, da Lohmann seit Februar 2010 nicht mehr an seiner bekannten Adresse Jumeirah Islands, Cluster 29 – Villa No. 14, Dubai / UAE wohne.

Lohmann soll sich mal in den Niederlanden, mal im deutschen Gevelsberg aufhalten, wo er von Anlegergeldern eine Firma gekauft haben soll.

Lediglich in einer Zivilklage eines Anlegers habe das Landgericht Bielefeld am 6. Mai 2011 beschlossen, ihm die Zivil-Klageschrift öffentlich zuzustellen. Am 14. Juni 2011 wurde die Zivil-Klagezustellung im Elektronischen Bundesanzeiger veröffentlicht und gilt seit 14. Juli 2011 als zugestellt. Im Strafprozess ist noch keine öffentliche Zustellung beschlossen worden.

Klage gegen Robin Lohmann nicht zustellbar - Der Geschäftsführer mehrere ACI Dubai Real Estate Unternehmen hat offensichtlich keinen festen Wohnsitz in Deutschland. Die Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt wegen Betrug

Sobald der ACI-Junior-Boss Robin Lohmann (36) aus Bielefeld einen Fuß auf emiratischen Boden setzt, droht ihm eine Verhaftung. Die Staatsanwaltschaft in Dubai suche den Mitinitiator von sieben geschlossenen Wolkenkratzer-Fonds der Alternative Capital Investment aus Gütersloh in NRW mit einem Haftbefehl gleich in mehreren arabischen Staaten, berichtete ein von Anlegern beauftragter Detektiv dem Finanznachrichtendienst GoMoPa.net.

Robin Lohmann habe von arabischen Investoren Geld entgegengenommen, ohne die versprochenen Türme zu bauen.

Robin Lohmann habe aber den arabischen Gläubigern allen Ernstes nahegelegt, sie sollten sich mit ihren Geldrückforderungen an die rund 5.000 deutschen Anleger halten. Die hätten schließlich die Grundstücke für die Fantasietürme gekauft.

Ein Blick in die Eigentumsurkunden des Land Department der Regierung von Dubai (Title Deed) fördert aber zutage, dass nicht die Fondsgesellschaften, sondern eine Alternative Capital Invest GmbH (Dubai Branch) die Grundstücke gekauft hat. Diese Gesellschaft gehört laut Handelsregister des Amtsgerichts Gütersloh (HRB 6828) der Lohmann-Familie und nicht den Anlegern.

Während der deutsche Treuhänder die Gelder der Anleger auf ein Privatkonto von Robin Lohmann nach Dubai überwiesen haben soll, kaufte Lohmann mit dem Geld der Anleger zum Beispiel am 5. Dezember 2007 das Grundstück eines geplanten Q-Sami-Towers für 65,785 Millionen Euro und am 18. Juni 2009 das Grundstück einer Victory Bay für 64,586 Millionen Euro, immer auf den Namen der ACI GmbH und nicht für die Fonds-Kommanditgesellschaften (KGs), denen die Anleger als Gesellschafter beigetreten sind.

Im Fall der insolventen ACI-Fonds II bis V wurden die Fondsprojekte mit einem Schlag am 29. Dezember 2008 von Hanns-Uwe Lohmann (65) als Fondsgeschäftsführer zum einen an einen Fantasieinvestor (eine Yama International LLC aus Dubai, die nie eine Kaufzusage abgeben hatte) und zugleich an die ACI GmbH verkauft, für die sein Sohn Robin unterschrieb.

Aus der damaligen Kauf- und Forderungsvereinbarung geht hervor: Sollte der Kaufpreis von 41,423 Millionen Euro nicht am 1. März 2009 auf dem Konto der Kommanditgesellschaft bei der Sparkasse in Gütersloh vorliegen, könnten die Kommanditisten alles ohne Zuzahlung zurückkaufen. Insbesondere ging es um die Rechte an den Zahlungseingängen für die je nach Baufortschritt noch zu fertigen Eigentumswohnungen eines Wohnturmes Arabian Star. Diese Kaufoption lief aber schon am 22. April 2009 aus.

Weder wurden von Robin Lohmann 41 Millionen Euro an die Fonds überwiesen, noch wurden die Rechte an den künftigen Wohnungen zurückübertragen. Die Rechte liegen bei Robin Lohmann, der das seinen arabischen Gläubigern jedoch anders darzustellen versucht habe.

Die deutschen Anleger bangen um insgesamt 275 Millionen Euro. Doch deren Ansprüche verjähren. Es sei denn, sie würden klagen. Nur die wenigsten müssten persönlich vor Gericht erscheinen. Das Gericht würde nur die ersten Fälle verhandeln. Die restlichen Kläger bräuchten dann nur noch auf die Urteile verweisen. Da sich das Strafmaß nach der Schadenssumme bemisst, würde sich mit jeder Strafanzeige auch die Schadenssumme und damit das Strafmaß erhöhen.

Zehn ACI-Fonds-Vermittler haben sich mit 2.000 Anlegern zu einer Interessengemeinschaft der ACI-Anleger e.V. in Hillesheim zusammengeschlossen. Ziel ist es, das auf den Konten der Lohmanns gelandete und auf den Namen der Lohmann-Firma ACI GmbH investierte Geld zurückzuholen. Das will der Lohmann-Clan offenbar mit einer List verhindern.

Deutsche sollen sich an ihre Vermittler halten, nicht an die Lohmanns

So wie sich die arabischen Investoren an die deutschen Anleger halten sollen (zum Beispiel den deutschen Insolvenzverwalter für die Fonds II bis V), so sollen sich die deutschen Anleger an ihre Vermittler halten. Und es verwundert nicht, dass ausgerechnet die ACI-Anleger im August 2011 Anwaltspost erhielten, deren Vermittler sich in der IG ACI-Anleger e.V. zusammengetan haben. Insgesamt gibt es mindestens 60 Vermittler von ACI-Fonds.

In den Briefen bittet die Berliner Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Röhlke, zu deren Mandantschaft die Lohmann-Familie gehören soll, die Anleger, der Kanzlei den Auftrag zu erteilen, Schadensersatzansprüche gegen namentlich zehn Kapitalanlagevertriebe geltend zu machen. Auf Nachfrage eines Anlegers, woher die Kanzlei die Adresse des Anlegers habe, habe Rechtsanwalt Christian-H. Röhlke zugegeben, die Adressen vom Beteiligungstreuhänder bekommen zu haben. Beteiligungstreuhänder ist die Firma D.M.I Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH in der Bismarckstraße 57 in Gütersloh. Sie war innerhalb des Ermittlungsverfahrens gegen den Lohmann-Clan bei einer Razzia am 22. Juni 2010 ebenfalls durchsucht worden.

Nicht zufällig gehört zu den Vertrieben, die im Antwaltsschreiben aus Berlin namentlich aufgeführt werden, auch der Geschäftsführer der Interessengemeinschaft der ACI-Anleger, Rainer Regnery aus Hillesheim.

Regnery vereitelte die Pläne der Lohmanns, die zur Insolvenz angemeldeten Fondsgesellschaften II bis V wegen nicht vorhandener Gläubiger und wegen Masselosigkeit von Amts wegen löschen zu lassen.

Mit welchen Methoden die Gütersloher Riege, der noch immer einige Vertriebe treu ergeben sind, den Widersacher Regnery mundtot oder zumindest unglaubwürdig machen will, mag folgendes Beispiel zeigen.

Regnery bekam aus heiterem Himmel eine SMS vom Innenminister von Qatar. Der wolle mit ihm ins Geschäft kommen. Er habe die Handynummer von einem Freund. Der Freund sei der stellvertretende Verteidigungsminister von Nigeria. Regnery war darüber sehr verwundert, denn der Vizeverteidigungsminister von Nigeria war vor zwei Jahren verstorben. Er meldete den Vorfall der Botschaft der Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate. Kurz darauf habe sich Nadine Lohmann bei Regnery erkundigt, ob gegen ihn schon wegen Geldwäscheverdachts in Nigeria ermittelt werde.

Quelle Pressemitteilung GoMoPa® – der Finanznachrichtendienst (www.gomopa.net) – Pressemeldung vom 12.09.2011

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud False allegations

Records Proving HRH Prince Alwaleed Not in Spain in August 2008

The private office of HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud released today detailed, comprehensive records providing clear and unmistakable proof that HRH Prince Alwaleed was not in Spain in August of 2008 and had no connection whatsoever with alleged events to which he has been erroneously linked in recent press reports.

Lawyers for a woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia say the case has not been properly handled by Spain’s criminal justice system, BBC reports.

The documents released by the private office of HRH Prince Alwaleed add a compelling body of documentation and level of detail to back up the statement previously released.

Prince Alwaleed could not possibly have been involved in the alleged events because he was not in Ibiza during 2008 and has not visited Ibiza for more than a decade.

Prince Alwaleed’s yacht “Kingdom 5-KR” was not in Spanish waters in 2008, as confirmed by the yacht navigation logs.  In addition, HRH has never chartered a yacht by the name of “Turama,” as press reports falsely alleged, and as could be reconfirmed by examination of the Turama’s charter logs. The requirements for chartering a yacht include the recording of the name, address and agent of the person leasing it. Even the number and names of that person’s guests, as well as those who are allowed to board the yacht, generally need to be recorded.

As travel records confirm, Prince Alwaleed and his family do not routinely spend theirsummer vacations in Spanish waters as erroneously reported.

Due to his public profile, HRH Prince Alwaleed’s private office department of Travel and Protocol has for decades maintained meticulous and detailed records of his daily schedule, meeting attendees, travel itineraries, events and delegation movements which are regularly filmed and photographed.  As such, His Royal Highness will respond forcefully to all false allegations with precise facts and detailed documentation.

Attachment 1: Schedules of HRH Prince Alwaleed’s activities during August 7-13, 2008:

The attached schedules detail a structured arrangement of each day during the period August 7-13, 2008 while HRH Prince Alwaleed, his family and large delegation visited Cannes, France. The schedule reflects the orderly manner in which HRH Prince Alwaleed has conducted his life for decades. During the period August 7-12, 2008, the records show that the usual practice of HRH Prince Alwaleed, in the company of many witnesses, was to visit the Restaurant Le Voilier (usually at 730pm), exercise and walk in public places, visit the Carlton Terrace Café at the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel (usually at 1am), enjoy a large communal dinner at 4am with his family and entourage, and adhere to Islamic religious practices by praying at designated times of the day. On August 13th, His Royal Highness in the company of family and a large delegation took an excursion to St. Tropez as many witnesses will attest and photos will document.

Attachment 2: Statement of Joaquim Silva, Manager of JS Security Company:

Mr. Joaquim Silva, company executive and personal bodyguard confirmed the presence of HRH Prince Alwaleed in France from August 6-28, 2008 and certified that at no time during that period did the Prince leave France.

Attachment 3: Passport Stamps of HRH Prince Alwaleed:

Stamps in the passport of HRH Prince Alwaleed show his arrival on August 6, 2008, to Nice International Airport and his departure from Le Bourget Airport on August 28, 2008, with no record of HRH Prince Alwaleed leaving France by land, sea or air.

Attachment 4: Statement of Carlton Intercontinental Hotel Management:

Mr. Eric Aceto, Hotel Manager, confirms the presence of HRH Prince Alwaleed, his wife Princess Ameerah, and the accompanying delegation in the restaurant and terrace of the Carlton Hotel every day from August 7-16, from 1:00 am to 2:00 am, with the exception of August 13th when the delegation was on an excursion to St. Tropez.

Attachment 5: Statement of Restaurant Le Voilier Management:

Mr. Michel Partenet, Chief Manager, Restaurant Le Voilier in Cannes states that HRH Prince Alwaleed was in the Le Voilier daily from August 7-12, from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM.

Attachment 6: Statement of Captain of Kingdom 5-KR yacht and yacht logs:

Captain Peter Evans of Kingdom 5-KR confirms that Kingdom 5-KR did not leave French waters in the South of France during the visit of HRH Prince Alwaleed from the 6 to 16, August 2008. Captain Evans also confirms the presence of HRH Prince Alwaleed during the entire time period on board his yacht, Kingdom 5-KR, as confirmed by the yacht’s log.

Attachment 7: Statement of Michel Ledouble, Driver for Tri-Star

Driver Michel Ledouble, confirms he acted as Driver for HRH Prince Alwaleed in Cannes and St. Tropez from 6th to 16th August, 2008 and can further verify the itinerary in Attachment 1.

SOURCE The Private Office of HRH Prince Alwaleed

PDF Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud

Dubai is the ninth worst real estate market in the world

Dubai is the ninth worst real estate market in the world, according to a survey of 50 cities.

Supply keeps coming, as Dubai remains the ninth worst housing market in the world.

The first quarter report of UK-based consultant Knight Frank’s periodic survey of 50 key residential markets across the world, showed Dubai was the worst residential market in the world, but the new survey shows a major improvement, especially on a six-month basis. Continue Reading …. Source Zawya

Pdf

Read earlier report here: Dubai Leads List Of World’s Worst Housing Market

Arabian Business Dubai among world’s worst performing property markets

 

Gadhafi Town falls to Rebells Fighting continues in Libya

Gadaffi son captured in Tripoli by Libyan rebels

Thai Government paid 30 million Euro for the seized Thai Prince Boeing in Munich

The Thai prince Boeing has been released today in Munich after the Thai Government paid the 30 Million Euro.

The plane was seized at Munich Airport as part of a long-running dispute in which Werner Schneider, the insolvency administrator for the Walter Bau construction group, is demanding more than €30 million from the Thai government.

The dispute stretches back more than 20 years, to when the German construction firm Dywidag helped build a 26-kilometre road between Bangkok and the airport for which payment was allegedly never received. Dywidag merged with Walter Bau in 2001.

Walter Bau AG have been trying for many years to enforce a legitimate demand of more than €30 million and this drastic measure is virtually the last resort,” Schneider said, explaining that courts have found the move to be legal.

Dubai Property Lawsuit – Union Properties sued by Index Tower Apartment Owner

Dr David Dorsey claims the developer ( Union Properties Dubai)  misrepresented the quality of the project and breached a promise to provide a swimming pool and health club.

Dubai Property Lawsuit - Union Properties sued by Index Tower Apartment owner sued before the Dubai International Financial Court

The suit filed in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Court also charges the developer with misleading investors on construction progress in The Index, the 80-storey tower designed by Foster + Partners.

Dr Dorsey, a medical doctor who works as a portfolio manager, is seeking the return of Dh3.4 million (US$925,674) he paid for the apartment and more than Dh3m in damages.

Union Properties representatives could not be reached for comment.

The case could have ramifications for hundreds of investors with similar complaints. The DIFC Court, which is governed by its own set of civil and commercial laws, provides an avenue unavailable for buyers in projects outside the financial centre to pursue cases.

“The whole point of the DIFC is it offers the protection of international legal standards,” Dr Dorsey said.

He bought a two-bedroom apartment in The Index tower in 2007.

But the company never followed through on a series of promises, including a commitment to provide a detailed sales and purchase agreement (SPA), his suit claims.

The SPA was necessary to “give us the ability to guard our rights”, Dr Dorsey said. “All we had was a one-page reservation form for three years.” Union Properties did not offer a detailed SPA until July last year and included many clauses “unilaterally advantageous” to the developer, the suit claims. The language addressed such issues as liability, force majeure and penalties not in the original agreement, the suit claims.Dr Dorsey refused to sign it.

continue reading ….. source The National

Dubai Property Investors from UK take action against Damac in London

Around 20 buyers of units in Damac’s stalled Palm Springs development plan to lobby outside the Qatar-owned store, where the developer has run a month-long promotion for its Versace-branded real estate project in Saudi Arabia.

The group will carry placards and plans to hand out leaflets to shoppers headlined ‘I would not buy from Damac again’, in a bid to embarrass the developer they claim has held their deposits for eight years.

“It is really trying to make our voices heard with Damac people who will be there, as much as we can and to hand out leaflets to anyone who is interested in hearing our story,” Craig Murray, a spokesperson for 100-strong Palm Springs Investors Group told Arabian Business.

source Arabian  Business…….continue readling

UAE Blogger Ahmed Mansoor to appear in court next week

The trial of Ahmed Mansoor, a blogger and human rights activist who has been held since April, is due to resume in Abu Dhabi on 18 July. Reporters Without Borders urges the authorities to drop the charges against this netizen and release him without delay.

Reporters Without Borders urges the UAE authorities to drop the charges against Ahmed Mansoor and release him without delay

More than 10 police officers took part in Mansoor’s arrest in April, seizing two laptops and several documents. His arrest, after signing a petition calling for democratic reforms in the United Arab Emirates, followed several weeks during which he was the target of intimidation attempts and a smear campaign, especially on the social networks Facebook and Twitter.

Mansoor was also pressured by his employer, a telecommunications company that suddenly decided to relocate to Pakistan in a move which, according to Mansoor’s blog, was motivated by political interests.

Four other pro-democracy activists are being tried with Mansoor. They are Farhad Salem, Nasser bin Ghaith, Hassan Ali Al-Khamis and Ahmed Abdul Khaleq. They are all charged with threatening state security, undermining public order and insulting the president, the vice president and the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.

They pleaded not-guilty when the first hearing was held on 14 June, just hours after the judge scheduled to preside the case was replaced. During the hearing, a pro-government demonstration took place outside, with members of the crowd chanting death threats against the defendants.

The trial would be adjourned again at next week’s hearing as the prosecution wants to bring new “witnesses” whose identity has not yet been revealed to the defence. Reporters Without Borders has learned that Mansoor is meanwhile suffering from a severe allergy but has been denied access to a dermatologist, despite repeated requests.

source Reporter without Borders

German authorities seized Boeing 737 of Thailand Prince at Munich airport

The plane was seized Tuesday at Munich Airport as part of a long-running dispute in which Werner Schneider, the insolvency administrator for the Walter Bau construction group, is demanding more than €30 million from the Thai government.

The dispute stretches back more than 20 years, to when the German construction firm Dywidag helped build a 26-kilometre road between Bangkok and the airport for which payment was allegedly never received. Dywidag merged with Walter Bau in 2001.

Walter Bau AG have been trying for many years to enforce a legitimate demand of more than €30 million and this drastic measure is virtually the last resort,” Schneider said, explaining that courts have found the move to be legal.

The Thai government has repeatedly refused to respond to the claim and attempts by the German government to recover the funds were unsuccessful, Schneider said.

The exact value of the seized jet is unclear. But Boeing’s list prices for various 737 models range from €40 million to €61 million. It is owned by Thailand’s airforce but is used by the revered Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn – and sometimes flown by the prince himself.

Read also The Herold Online Thai Prince Plane seized in Germany

Monaco Prince Albert II has married Charlene Wittstock and made her his princess

Monte Carlo 1st July 2011

Marriage Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock Monaco Monte Carlo 1 July 2011 source Mediacentre www.mariageprinciermonaco2011.mc

Monaco’s Prince Albert II has married Charlene Wittstock and made her his princess

The civil wedding took place in the Throne Room at the Prince’s Palace. It was celebrated by Mr Philippe Narmino, President of the Council of State.  Mr Philippe Narmino is the Sovereign Family’s civil registrar.

Monegasques had been able to follow the ceremony on giant screens in the Grimaldi Palace Square. The Square was open to Monegasques and their family.

The couple sat in high-backed bright pink chairs and Charlene wore a blue gown.

‘I declare you united by the bonds of marriage,’ Philippe Narmino said.

Following the ceremony, the royal couple appeared on the balcony of the Hall of Mirrors to greet the Monegasque people.

Residents of the Principality Monaco have been invited to a reception in the Harbour at 8 PM.

A big concert had been laid on by the royal couple in Port Hercule.

Schedule for:

Saturday 2nd July

5 p.m.:The religious wedding will take place in the Main Courtyard of the Prince’s Palace. Miss Wittstock, on her father’s arm, will walk along a red carpet from the Carabiniers Barracks to the altar. His Grace Bernard Barsi, Archibishop of Monaco, will celebrate the mass.

The doors of the Palace will remain open in order to enable approximately 3,500 people to attend, seated, the ceremony broadcast on giant screens in the Palace Square.

6.30 p.m.:The royal couple will leave the Palace for Sainte Dévote’s Church so that the Princess can lay down her bouquet.

The public will be able to take position along the whole route to congratulate the royal couple.

The procession will pass along Avenue de la Porte Neuve, Avenue du Port and Boulevard Albert I, and return to the Palace using the same route.

Giant screens will be set up in the Principality so that as many people as possible can follow the religious ceremony and the royal couple’s wedding route.

9.30 p.m.: The official dinner and the ball will take place in the Opera Garnier and the Casino Terraces.

Midnight: Dinner will conclude with a firework display. A wide range of musical entertainment will take place throughout the evening.

For More information visit:

http://www.mariageprinciermonaco2011.mc

Guest List head of States Monaco 1634liste_invites_chefs

A selection private invited Guests Monaco wedding

Dubai has changed the parameters surrounding property investor visas…again

Dubai is increasing Property investor’s residency visa validity period, but will it be enough to rectify the damage?  Eva Fernandes (Kippreport)  certainly doesn’t think so.

Stop the press!

The UAE has changed the parameters surrounding property investor visas…again.

The UAE has extended visas for property investors to a whopping three years from six months. Of course the current visa is granted to investors of property worth more than Dh1 million. The local press has a field day with all of this, with good ol’ Emirates 24|7 publishing an article titled “Real estate industry basks in glow of new property visa ruling.” Nice.

Stop the press! The UAE has changed the parameters surrounding property investor visas…again ....soruce Kippreport

Yes sure, the new 3-year residency visa is a welcome and certainly refreshing change especially in comparison to the existing 6-month residency visa for property investors or the 2-year visa companies will soon grant their employees. But, you will excuse Kipp if we stifle our excitement for the UAE’s track record with property investor residency visas are anything but encouraging.

So when we read about this change, we couldn’t help but remember the story of one Dr Horst Hoeller who bought a 3-bedroom flat in Jumeirah Beach Residence in 2003 purely with the intention………

source Kippreport …..continue reading

Damac Dubai must pay 1,8 Million after the developer failed to finish the appartment in time

Dubai – 26 June 2011

Damac Properties Dubai must pay the Irish couple Noel and Lorna Gaffney compensation for failing to deliver their apartment in Dubai’s Park Towers on time the DIFC Court ruled.

Dubai Property Dispute compensation DIFC Court ruling 2011

Gulf News reported, that the Court also criticised the company for using highly technical arguments and tactics as well as the casual manner in which it had approached the court proceedings — as a result, it ruled that Damac should pay the Gaffney’s Dh200,000 legal fees.

As reported in The National the court awarded the Gaffneys Dh1,781,009 (US$484,872), representing a refund of payments they made towards apartment 602 in Tower B of the development.

The Gaffneys bought their Park Towers apartment off-plan in 2004, according to their original claim. The project consists of two 49-storey cone-like glass buildings and is situated within the grounds of the DIFC, close to the financial district’s central Gate Building.

continue reading….. The National   ….. Gulf News

 

Dubai Real Estate Dispute Lender has the right to hold debtor ´s passport

Dubai Court of Cassation issued the legal principle in the case of a foreigner who works as a Director at a real estate brokerage firm, which prevented him from travelling, after he allegedly embezzled Dh14 million.

The investor had filed a lawsuit before the Dubai Court of First Instance, requesting it to allow him to hold the director’s passport.

The investor claimed that he had handed over two cheques worth Dh14m to the company manager in return for booking a real estate unit in a tower. But he was surprised to learn that the real estate brokerage company sold that unit to another investor.

After several rounds of discussions, it was agreed between the parties that the manager of the company (the defendant) pledged to refund the amount. However, he did not comply with the deal, the investor told the court.

Meanwhile, the investor moved the court to grant him the right to with hold the passport of the defendant so that he did not leave the UAE.

source EMIRATES BUSINESS 247 …….continue reading

British love triangle jailed in Dubai

Danielle Spencer, 31, who worked in real estate in Dubai , was given a month’s sentence after a court rejected her claim she never slept  with Toby Carroll, a New Zealander

Miss Gomez was also jailed in Dubai for two months, one for sex outside marriage and one for threatening to kill Miss Spencer. The two women are said to have made friends while in custody.

Lawyers for Miss Spencer, a former lap-dancer from Hull, and Mr Carroll, an analyst for HSBC, said they would appeal. Judge Ali Attiyah Sa’ad ordered all three to be deported after serving their sentences.

Consensual sex outside marriage is banned in the United Arab Emirates, and regularly punished by jail terms. The emirate generally operates a “don’t ask” policy, allowing thousands of unmarried couples to take holidays and even live together without interference, as long as the police are not alerted.

source the Telegraph UK

Nakheel sued by its former CEO Chris O Donnell for breach of Contract

Former CEO of Nakheel Dubai Chris o Donnell filed lawsuit for breach of contract

Dubai developer Nakheel is being sued by its former CEO Chris O’Donnell for breach of contract, legal papers have confirmed, reported Arabian Business.

O’Donnell, who stepped down earlier this month after five years at the helm of the Dubai World subsidiary, is seeking a seven-figure sum in the case, Arabian Business has learned.

source Arabian Business

read also

Reuters

and

Financial Times

British journalist Mark Townsend wins two year criminal libel ordeal in Dubai

Mark T. Townsend was the victim of an unsubstantiated libel complaint. But under Dubai’s criminal libel laws, proceedings were kept pending against him for 22 months during which he was unable to work or leave the country.

Townsend is a former business editor of Khaleej Times. After he left in 2009, allegations of mismanagement at the paper were published on the website www.complaintsboard.com . The allegations were published under a username that resembled Townsend’s surname – but Townsend denied having anything to do with the web posting.

On May 30, British journalist Mark T. Townsend was acquitted in a criminal libel case that had kept him a virtual prisoner in Dubai for nearly two years.

The case arose from a criminal defamation complaint lodged against him by the managers of one of Dubai’s main English language newspapers, Khaleej Times.

source Media Legal Defence Initiative ….. continue reading

Burj Al Arab Video New – Leave the ordinary behind

Jumeirah Group, the Dubai based luxury hospitality company and a member of Dubai holding, has launched a new social media video advertisement for Burj Al Arab, the World’s most luxurious hotel.

The video was shot over three days on site at the hotel and in studio with a British trampoline champion.

Former Housekeeping Manager of Jumeirah Essex House sentenced to 23 years jail

Jumeirah Essex House Murder sentenced 23 to jail New York

The former Housekeeping Manager of Jumeirah Esssex House Hotel New York, an American man, has been sentenced to 23-years in jail over the weekend for the 2009 murder of Lebanese businesswoman, Sara Bejjani.

The 44-year-old Andree (Sara) Bejjani was president of Royal Investments, LLC, a real estate investment firm based in Dubai and has been staying since 2006 at the luxury Jumeirah Essex House Hotel on Central Park South New York.

Praileau, admitted to using his employee key card to break into her home at Jumeirah Essex House before holding her at knife point and choking her to death after she resisted his sexual assault.

read also New York Daily News

The murder Derrick Praileau, 31, pleaded guilty last month to killing and trying to rape Sara Bejjani. He said he held a knife to Bejjani and choked her to death when she resisted his sexual assault. He told authorities he was drunk and high on cocaine during the September 2009 assault.

“I apologise. I’m sorry for your loss,” he said in a soft, calm voice at his sentencing. “To the courtroom, I’m sorry.”

Sara Bejjani’s sister Nada who arrived at the scene in 2009, to discover the apartment filled with emergency workers said:

“Sara was murdered while we were in the air on our way to see her,“ all of us will pass away, but none of us deserves to be butchered the way Sara was,” Nada, told a court through tears Friday as the former housekeeping supervisor, Derrick Praileau was sentenced 23 years to prison.

Bundesamt fuer Sicherheit eröffnet Nationales Cyber Abwehrzentrum in Deutschland

Berlin / Bonn, 16.06.2011.

Bundesinnenminister Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich eröffnet das Nationale Cyber-Abwehrzentrum. Das Cyber-Abwehrzentrum ist Bestandteil der vom Bundesministerium des Innern erarbeiteten Cyber-Sicherheitsstrategie für Deutschland. Quelle BSI

Gemeinsam mit den Präsidenten der beteiligten Behörden stellte Bundesinnenminister Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich  die Aufgaben des Cyber-Abwehrzentrums der Presse vor. Das Cyber-Abwehrzentrum wurde als gemeinsame Plattform zum schnellen Informationsaustausch und zur besseren Koordinierung von Schutz- und Abwehrmaßnahmen gegen IT-Sicherheitsvorfälle errichtet. Unter der Federführung des Bundesamtes für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (BSI) und direkter Beteiligung des Bundesamtes für Verfassungsschutz (BfV) und des Bundesamtes für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK) hat das Cyber-Abwehrzentrum bereits am 1. April 2011 seine Arbeit aufgenommen. Die drei Behörden stellen gemeinsam die zehn festen Mitarbeiter des Cyber-Abwehrzentrums. Seit heute wirken auch das Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), die Bundespolizei (BPol), das Zollkriminalamt (ZKA), der Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) sowie die Bundeswehr als assoziierte Behörden mit.

“Im Kern der Cyber-Sicherheit steht der Schutz kritischer Infrastrukturen”, betont Bundesinnenminister Dr. Friedrich. Kritische Infrastrukturen sind Organisationen und Einrichtungen mit wichtiger Bedeutung für das Gemeinwesen, bei deren Ausfall oder Beeinträchtigung nachhaltig wirkende Versorgungsengpässe, erhebliche Störungen der öffentlichen Sicherheit oder andere dramatische Folgen eintreten würden. “Das Schadprogramm Stuxnet und als jüngstes Beispiel der Hackerangriff auf den französischen Atomkonzern EDF (Electricité de France) haben gezeigt, dass auch die IT-Systeme kritischer Infrastrukturen im Fokus von Cyber-Angriffen stehen. Wir müssen feststellen, dass die Gefahr von Angriffen auf diese Systeme zunimmt.”

continue reading……Source Pressemitteilung Bundesamt für Sicherheit BSI Deutschland

Pdf Präsentation zur Cynbersicherheit in Deutschland