UAE sentences former Khashoggi lawyer to 3 years in prison
The United Arab Emirates has sentenced an American citizen and the former lawyer of Jamal Khashoggi to three years in prison on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
The Abu Dhabi Money Laundering Court also ordered that the lawyer, U.S. citizen Asim Ghafoor, pay a fine of $816,748 stemming from his in absentia conviction, the UAE’s state-run WAM news agency reported late Saturday.
The UAE framed Ghafoor’s arrest as a coordinated move with the U.S. to “combat transnational crimes.” Emirati state-run media said American authorities had requested the UAE’s help with an investigation into Ghafoor’s alleged tax evasion and suspicious money transfers in the Emirates.
Ghafoor had no knowledge of any case against him and had transited through Dubai without incident less than a year ago, DAWN said.
The autocratic Gulf Arab sheikhdom announced the prison sentence a day after Washington-based human rights watchdog Democracy for the Arab World Now, DAWN, raised alarm about Ghafoor’s arrest from Dubai International Airport.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/uae-sentences-former-khashoggi-lawyer-to-3-years-in-prison/ar-AAZFtgw
This is striking. He's arrested one day, convicted and sentenced the next. Trial occurred when he wasn't there.
Spooks being taken down