Three defendants who robbed four businessmen of almost Dh1 million have been sentenced to one year in prison each.

The four Chinese businessmen were invited to an apartment in Al Rafaa, Dubai, on March 29 of last year after they responded to a Facebook post about selling cryptocurrency. The defendants showed them documents of ownership for Bitcoin, but the apartment was raided by men claiming to be police officers, who tied the businessmen up.

Although one freed himself and restrained one gang member until the police arrived, the others left with Dh800,000 in cash as well as valuables.

“They stole the money and our mobile phones, then locked us inside the apartment and fled,” one of the businessmen said.

Police were able to track down the suspects from the number plate of the car they used to flee the scene.

Prosecutors initially charged eight defendants, six from Pakistan, one from India and another from Bangladesh, with confinement and theft, which they denied.

Three men, all from Pakistan and aged 38, were convicted and will be deported after serving their prison terms.

The other five men were acquitted due to lack of evidence.