A 48-year-old German woman has been sentenced to three months in jail for threatening her ex-husband with extortion through social media.
The Dubai Criminal Court found her guilty of demanding $1.5 billion from the victim by threatening to harm him and his partner.
The incident took place on December 6 and 7, 2023, and was fueled by ongoing family and financial disputes, including disagreements over child custody and a jointly owned business.
According to court records, the woman sent several threatening messages via Telegram and Facebook, ordering her ex-husband to transfer the large sum to her Swiss bank account.
Some of the messages included alarming statements like, “Send the money by Friday, or say goodbye to your mistress,” and “I’m your worst nightmare. I’ve buried three animals, and next could be you and your mistress.” She also shared a photo of herself standing beside two armed men, referencing a game of Russian roulette to further intimidate him.
The ex-husband reported the threats to authorities, explaining that the messages were an attempt to force him into paying a massive sum beyond what he had already provided. Forensic experts confirmed the threats by retrieving the messages from her mobile devices.
Under UAE cybercrime laws, such threats and demands are a clear violation of personal safety. Despite denying the accusations during her trial, the woman was found guilty.
However, the court took into account her clean criminal record and decided to suspend the prison term for three years, on the condition that she does not commit any further offenses. The court also ordered her mobile phone to be confiscated.
The woman has since filed an appeal, and the case will next be heard at Dubai’s Court of Appeal on January 22.
