Statement From David Haigh

Mass Fabrication and No Evidence

I have now been held in jail for 100 days during which time no criminal charges have been brought
against me. Nor have I been questioned or examined in any way about any criminal matters. Under
the cynical guise of what is essentially a vindictive commercial dispute, my former employers Gulf
Finance House (GFH) and their lawyers, Gibson Dunn, have publicly accused me of illegally and
deliberately diverting money to bank accounts they claim I controlled.
They claim I produced unauthorized invoices and approved payments to acquire this money. Yet the
leading handwriting expert who has now examined them on behalf of my legal team has said
unequivocally that these invoices and transfers supposedly created by me, comprise nothing less
than conclusive evidence of "mass fabrication". They do not contain my genuine signature or on
occasions that of the second signatory.
GFH bases most of its allegations against me on a report commissioned by them from a Gulf-based
accountant called Sajjad Haider. I have instructed internationally renowned accountancy and
forensic investigators from Price Waterhouse Coopers to examine what purport to be the findings of
that report.
I am confident that PWC's findings will completely exonerate me of any of the claims of any
wrongdoing contained in the Haider report. Specifically I do not believe they will find any evidence
whatsoever that I either created false invoices or illegally or deliberately diverted GFH money into
any accounts controlled by me.
The report of the handwriting expert confirms my belief that vindictive and personal attacks have
been mounted against me in order to secure my incarceration in Dubai.
While I do not blame the Dubai system or its authorities for what has happened, GFH knew full well
that they had no grounds to have me detained in the UK. I am confident that the Dubai judicial
system, which I know to be a fair and just system, will do a thorough job, which will result in my
name being cleared. However, sadly in the meantime, GFH through their and their lawyers' misuse
of the Dubai system have succeeded in having me locked up for more than three months without
trial, never having been questioned about any criminality and guilty of no wrongdoing.
Justice will prevail; of that I am confident and I have also recently changed my local UAE legal
counsel and am now represented by senior partner Mr. Nasser Malalla of Nasser Malalla Advocates
and Legal Consultants who has wide experience of representing clients in the Dubai courts. He will
be working alongside international legal counsel Stephenson Harwood representing me before the
local Dubai judicial system in my fight for justice.
Rovine Chandrasekera and Shiraz Sethi, the team leading my Defence are working extensively to
prepare a set-aside application of the freezing order based on the findings of the handwriting report,
the forensic accountants report and on the basis of a general lack of full and frank disclosure in the
proceedings.
GFH and Gibson Dunn have frozen my bank accounts and assets meaning that I have been unable to
pay lawyers yet for my defence and have been forced to default on normal day-to-day commitments
as they continue to desperately block my access to lawyers and funds. The GFH actions are also
calculated to cause me maximum problems in Dubai where debt is a criminal offence.

I can only speculate as to motives for this conduct which, in taking away my freedom and seeking to
destroy my reputation and character, is clearly in breach of my fundamental human rights. Can it be
coincidence that the amounts of money GFH falsely claim was diverted illegally and deliberately into
accounts controlled by me are similar to the amounts contained in my outstanding claims filed
against GFH?
These include payments long overdue to me for expenses, salary, bonus shares and commission
incurred during my time working both for GFH and as Managing Director of Leeds United.
In seeking to establish GFH's motive for deliberately placing me in this position I have also instructed
my lawyers, Stephenson Harwood, to seek from them the full disclosure of various emails and
information relating to their business practices. This includes investigations made by various
regulatory bodies, including the DFSA and the CBB, which involve GFH.
There have also been serious mistakes in the processing by GFH of payments, expenses,
commissions and use of client money which urgently needs to be investigated. A small example is
the funds which were paid - without my knowledge - into my Co-op bank account which appear to
equate to part payments of expenses and other money owed to me. I received no notification from
GFH of the payment of these relatively small amounts and still have no payment advice relating to
them despite asking for expenses and monies due breakdown for over 6 months.
My legal team has previously protested at the conflicted position of Gibson Dunn in pursuing these
matters against me on behalf of GFH. Suddenly - and without admitting any conflict - Gibson Dunn
have sought to remove the name of its partner Peter Gray, a former colleague, business partner and
friend of mine, from the proceedings.
Yet until recently Mr Gray had been at the forefront of the GFH/GD legal team in its pursuit of
matters against me. I do not believe that the Gibson Dunn conflict issues in this matter end with Mr
Gray and my lawyers will continue to pursue this question vigorously.
It will be one of the many matters for which I will be seeking compensation and full legal redress. I
also intend pursuing my own criminal, civil and human rights actions against GFH and its directors
for their actions in having me wrongly falsely imprisoned.
I have done everything possible to bring these matters to a conclusion. I want nothing more than to
investigate, resolve and settle this matter. To this end I have even offered to repay any money which
went into any accounts controlled by me as a result of the creation of these false invoices and bank
transfers which GFH claim - we now know wrongly - to have been signed by me.
I have also volunteered to be transferred to a jail for long term serious drug offenders in order to
have greater access to my lawyers than the occasional ten minute sessions I am currently allowed.
This was done in spite of the serious and persistent health problems brought on by my
imprisonment and the heavy medication which they have necessitated.
Despite all this, GFH has shown no interest in engaging on these matters. They and Gibson Dunn
appear to me to be motivated only by a strategy of seeking to discredit me by keeping me in jail
without charge for as long as possible so that I cannot defend myself. At the same time they seek to
gain maximum advantage from the fact I am unable properly to defend myself as I am unable to
access my phone, bank and computer records and files.

This is cynical and wrong. Despite the position in which I have been placed, I am not afraid to speak
out and say so.
Naturally I am aware that the football season has started at home and, among the many things I am
missing, is of course Leeds United FC.
I am thrilled to have received so many messages of support from the Leeds fans. I believe as the
facts of GFH's hopeless purchase and stewardship of the club become clearer, the fans genuinely
appreciate the battles I fought on their and the club's behalf. They understand that I worked night
and day to keep it afloat, often with my own money and even on my own credit cards when the GFH
funding quickly dried up and also to find a suitable new owner to take the club forward.
My biggest regret as far as LUFC is concerned is that they were so let down and very much betrayed
- as was I - by the conduct of GFH. They should never have bought a club which they could never
afford.
They were not honest with the fans, the players, the staff or the management. Sadly, they bought a
Rolls Royce but couldn't even afford the petrol once the journey started.
I very much hope the journey is smoother and more successful with Massimo Cellino who is a true
football man and a tough business man and that I will soon be free to share it as a fan.

END