Dutch weekly Revu uncovered the story this week in a six page article.
Although trained in the Netherlands, Malika Karoum worked for international
intelligence services and was stationed in Dubai late 2006 in particular to
uncover drug (money) trafficking networks.
Instead, she masterminded a drug-money laundering operation herself of over
100 million euros, intelligence sources told Revu. Her money-laundering
venture was nothing short of extraordinary in terms of its scope and
audacity, experts say.
Often flirtatious, Malika managed to seduce many drugs dealers, who
abandoned their traditional money laundering contacts in droves. She
managed to secure deals with Dutch and Russian drugs dealers, as wel as
Damac Properties and London Islamic Bank. She often physically smuggled the
money herself to Credit Suisse in Lugano.
She probably overstepped her boundaries because of her own troubled past.
Her father was a drugsdealer and was in jail for over 15 years. She was also
kidnapped as part of Turkish criminal feuds in Amsterdam.
It was her very success that led to her downfall. Disagreements over
payments sparked a series of threats from drugsdealers. Alarmed by a Dutch
private eye, Omniyat fired her in March, although the company told Revu she
left to "pursue a career abroad".
Malika also had connections with Dutch company Palm Invest, whose officials
were arrested in January on suspicion of fraudulently selling bonds on Palm
Jumeirah, and Dutch real estate broker AA Properties.
Because there is no extradition treaty between the Netherlands and UAE,
Dubai remains a safe haven for Malika.
Experts believe she is a modern Mata Hari, the Dutch exotic dancer and
prostitute who became a double agent during World War 1, when she worked for
both French and German spymasters.