UAE Prince sent to jail for 20 years: Here’s why

DUBAI: A Lebanese man who impersonated an Emirati prince was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday by a U.S. federal court in San Antonio for wire fraud.

Alex Tannous, 39, falsely claimed to be a prominent UAE businessman and diplomat with close ties to the Emirati royal family. He was exposed as a con artist who defrauded victims around the world out of millions of dollars.

Court documents show Tannous’ schemes involved offering lucrative investment opportunities, claiming victims needed to pay upfront fees to unlock millions of dollars available for the business. Instead, the money he received helped finance his lavish lifestyle and his family.

A Khaleej Times investigation had earlier revealed that tennis cheating activities affected victims not only in the US but globally.

One of the victims, Marc de Spiagleri, from Belgium, expressed relief after the sentence was handed down. “He served 20 years in a federal prison here in the States,” DeSpigleri wrote, adding that Tanis will serve three years of supervised release, complete more than 2,000 hours of community service, and pay restitution to the American victims. “It may not bring back 700,000 euros (Dh2.77 million) or 10 years of my life but knowing that he can spend the next two decades behind bars gives me and other victims peace of mind,” he said. ”

De Spiglieri revoked the transfer of funds to a bank in Dubai after Tennis allegedly persuaded him to invest in a project in Doha, Qatar. “This was in 2012. He hosted us at his Palm Jumeirah home and claimed to be friends with the royal family,” he said.

Similarly, Umar Y Abolhala from Libya reported losing Dh1.15 million and sued in the Dubai courts.

Tanos’ company, Ecoco Enterprises Inc., played a central role in his schemes. The FBI found that he had posed as an Emirati official responsible for selecting American firms for UAE projects. Tenos even partnered with a software company owner to set up Ghost Kitchen, claiming millions in funding from the Emirates Development Fund. He received $70,000 in payments between June and August 2021, but the projects were never completed.

Despite presenting himself online as a “global peace ambassador for the UAE” and chairman of a Dubai-based party, court records revealed Tannous was dependent on the earnings of his parents and ex-wife. . In early 2021, it filed for bankruptcy to avoid paying back investors.

Tannous was arrested on February 9 this year and faces six counts of wire fraud. He pleaded guilty to one count in July. In addition to his prison sentence, he was ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution to his victims, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“Alex Tannous was a serial con artist who defrauded dozens of hard-working Americans in San Antonio and elsewhere, taking advantage of the trust, he had built over the years,” said Jaime Esparza, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. ”

” Tannous convinced his victims that he was offering legitimate business opportunities when, in reality, he was just lining his own pockets,” added Aaron Tapp, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the San Antonio Field Office. was.” “Many of his victims were small business owners trying to live the American dream, only to find themselves trapped in a financial nightmare.”