Mash’ar group’s Farish, incarcerated for defrauding pilgrims, transferred home

Mash’ar travel agency’s owner Ali Farish, who was sentenced to prison last year for defrauding pilgrims, has been temporarily transferred to home confinement.

A spokesperson from Maldives Correctional Service confirmed to Sun on Thursday that Farish was temporarily transferred home based on health grounds.

The spokesperson did not provide any details on Farish’s heath condition or say when he will be transferred back to prison.

Farish was sentenced to three years in prison on September 17, 2025, after the Criminal Court found him guilty of fraud.

He was reported to the authorities in April that year after bank checks – an MVR 390,126 check and an MVR 156,050 check - he sent to Ace Aviation Services to pay for return air tickets for 48 umrah pilgrims bounced.

In addition to sentencing him to prison, the court also ordered Farish to pay Ace Aviation USD 26,350.32 or the MVR equivalent (MVR 406,321.93) to compensate the company for its loss.

The incident had left pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia.