Former Leeds United chief faces embezzlement charges in Dubai court

David Haigh, the former Leeds United managing director, who has been in a Dubai jail for over a year, is now facing embezzlement and breach of trust charges in the emirate’s criminal courts.

Haigh, the former deputy chief executive of Dubai-based bank GFH, was arrested on 18 May 2014 when GFH accused him of committing fraud, embezzlement and money laundering.

GFH, which owned Leeds United for two years from 2012, accuses Haigh of falsifying £3m of invoices, which he adamantly denies and claims he was tricked into coming to Dubai in order to have him arrested and imprisoned indefinitely without charge.

Haigh’s funds have also been frozen therefore he is left to represent himself. In addition, he has also launched a case against his former employers, accusing them of engaging in human trafficking.

GFH chief executive Hisham Al Rayes and Jinesh Patel, a Leeds director, are the subject of Haigh’s case, which claims they enticed him to Dubai to make an offer of a new London-based job.

It is believed that Haigh is currently appealing for lawyers to assist him on a deferred fee basis as he currently has no representation since the prosecutor started proceedings in the criminal court for breach of trust and embezzlement.