Etisalat probe after $7.4mn 'stolen over two years'

INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY: An Etisalat employee has been referred to public prosecution for allegedly embezzling $7.4 million. (ITP Images)

An Etisalat employee accused of attempting to embezzle nearly $7.5 million will be handed over to authorities once an internal investigation is completed.

It is alleged that the employee, a female Emirati national according to UAE daily Gulf News, was able to convert regular payments from the accounts of payrolls into her personal account in local banks, transferring two million dirhams per batch, for more than two years.

The employee, who is in charge of payroll at one of the company's branches, has been referred to the public prosecution, Arabic daily Emarat Alyoum said, citing Etisalat corporate communications manager Ahmed bin Ali.

He told the paper that the company discovered the wrong-doing and formed an internal investigation committee.

He said: "The company has recovered the whole amount, but the internal committee is still investigating the case, and upon completion of the internal investigation, the entire case will be transferred to the judiciary to take legal course."

Company officials said that the discovery of the case confirmed that the company's security procedures had worked.

They stressed that the company was committed to the standards of transparency and financial management.

The employee was caught after her bank noticed that her account had increased dramatically over a short period of time.

They then checked the value of her monthly salary and sent a letter to Etisalat voicing the bank's concerns.

The employee is said to have confessed to her bosses and she was forced to resign, as well as return the full amount.

Etisalat shares fell 2.3 percent on Monday on talk of the probe.

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