Former Khashoggi lawyer leaves UAE after jail time overturned

Former lawyer of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi left United Arab Emirates His lawyer told him he was in the U.S. after his jail term for money laundering was revoked AFP Saturday.

Asim GafoorHis lawyer, Faisal Gill, said the American citizen, who has handled multiple national security and terrorism cases, has paid a fine of 5 million dirhams ($1.4 million).

“He’s on his way to the United States,” Gill said, adding that he faced no charges in the United States.

Ghafoor was jailed and fined after his arrest last month, reportedly while transiting Dubai airport.

Wednesday, Abu Dhabi Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Court upholds Gafoor’s conviction for “money laundering crimes related to U.S. tax evasion operations,” officials say WAM The news agency said.

The court quashed Gafoor’s three-year prison sentence, but raised his Dh3 million fine to Dh5 million and ordered his deportation.

Ghafoor operates a private law firm and is Democracy in the Arab world todayor DAWN, the rights group Khashoggi founded is calling for the lawyer’s release in July.

According to DAWN’s website, he defended businessmen, charitable leaders and institutions against allegations of their involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Khashoggi is Murdered by Saudi agents in Istanbul in 2018, The incident sparked international condemnation and plunged Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the UAE, into diplomatic isolation.

The UAE case came after a “request for assistance” from US officials investigating Gafoor’s “participation in tax evasion and suspicious remittances,” WAM said Wednesday.

In July, the State Department denied calling for Ghafoor’s arrest, saying the case did not appear to be related to his ties to Khashoggi.US embassy in Abu Dhabi no comments.

Ghafoor’s conviction comes after the UAE was placed on a “grey list” of countries subject to increased oversight by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force to fight money laundering.