Fake Emirati Prince Sentenced to 20 Years for Stealing Millions

San Antonio, Nov 8, 2024 — A Lebanese man, Alex Tannous, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for tricking people into giving him millions of dollars by pretending to be a wealthy Emirati prince.

Tannous, 39, convinced victims that he was a high-ranking businessman with connections to Emirati royalty. He promised them profitable investments but instead used their money to fund his own lavish lifestyle. One victim, Marc De Spiegelerie from Belgium, lost nearly €700,000, while others also sent him large sums.

Tannous’s fake company, Equico Enterprises Inc., was central to his scam. He falsely claimed to be working on big projects in the UAE and Qatar, but the projects never existed. He also convinced a U.S. software company owner to send him $70,000 for a joint venture that never happened.

Along with his prison sentence, Tannous was ordered to repay $2.2 million to his victims. He will also serve three years of supervised release and complete 2,000 hours of community service. Despite pretending to be a “World Peace Ambassador,” he was living off his family’s money and was even filing for bankruptcy to avoid paying his victims.

Tannous was arrested earlier this year and pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in July. His sentence brings justice to the people he deceived.