Man lives in 5-star hotel for 4 months, leaves fake cheque of N12million, and flees with valuables

In a stunning case of deception, a man who posed as an employee of Abu Dhabi’s royal family has been accused of cheating a prestigious five-star hotel in Delhi, while also making off with valuable items from his room.

The suspect, identified as Mohammed Sharif, checked into the Leela Palace hotel on August 1, 2022, and managed to evade payment for a four-month stay amounting to a staggering N15 million.

Claiming to work for Sheikh Falah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a prominent member of the UAE royal family, Sharif presented fake credentials including a business card and a UAE resident card to the hotel staff.

Although he made partial payments during his stay in August and September 2022, his total outstanding amount reached N15 million.

To address the issue, Sharif handed the hotel a post-dated cheque worth N13 million, which unfortunately bounced when presented for payment on November 22.

Upon investigation, the hotel management discovered that Sharif had absconded without notifying anyone, leaving behind a trail of deceit and theft.

Not only did he defraud the hotel, but he also made off with various items, including silverware and a valuable mother-of-pearl tray, from his room.

In light of these offenses, the Leela Palace hotel promptly lodged a complaint with the local police on Saturday, formally accusing Sharif of fraud and theft.

In response to the complaint, law enforcement authorities have registered a case against the accused and are actively attempting to locate him.

Police officials have formed multiple teams to pursue Sharif, currently lacking detailed information regarding his occupation and verifying his personal details.

Investigators are relying on various sources of evidence, including the hotel’s CCTV footage, to uncover crucial clues about Sharif’s identity and his current whereabouts.