The Criminal Court has sentenced a man to prison for defrauding multiple individuals of more than MVR 700,000 by impersonating a woman online.

The defendant, identified as Ismail Zabeeh of Silinco, K. Kaashidhoo, was convicted on charges of money laundering related to the scheme. According to court records, Zabeeh created a fraudulent Facebook profile under the alias “Shana Hussain,” using a woman’s photograph to establish and maintain relationships with victims.

Through this elaborate deception, Zabeeh managed to solicit a total of MVR 710,550, which was deposited into his personal bank account. To obscure the illicit origins of the funds and legitimize the proceeds, he subsequently transferred the money between various accounts under his name.

Under a plea agreement reached with the Prosecutor General’s Office, the court sentenced Zabeeh to two years and six months in prison, in addition to a fine of MVR 100,000. However, accounting for the duration of his time already spent in remand, the court ruled that he is now required to serve a remaining term of seven months and 15 days.