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19 December 2025

Man charged over New York killing of Dubai businesswoman

A career move to New York ended tragically for a former Dubai woman. (REUTERS)

Published
By Staff
An employee of a New York hotel has been charged with murder after a Dubai businesswoman was found dead at the weekend.

According to the New York Times, Andree Bejjani, 44. who worked in Dubai property investment, was found with a bread knife protruding from her neck in Manhattan’s Jumeirah Essex House hotel and apartment complex, where she had rented a private flat since August.

According to reports, Ms Bejjani, who was widely known as Sara, was formerly from Lebanon and ran a company, Royal Investments LLC in Dubai. She joined US-based multinational Carlton Advisory Services, a property investment firm, as vice-president last year.

Derrick Praileau, 29, a housekeeping manager at the hotel, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, the reports say.

Police arrested Praileau  after tracking the use of hotel key cards he is alleged to have used to gain access to her apartment.

They said it did not appear that Praileau and Ms Bejjani had any previous relationship.

The 605-room Jumeirah Essex House was bought by Dubai Investment Group in 2005 and is operated by the Dubai-based Jumeirah Group.

 

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