Getting banned from working in Saudi

Dear all,

I would like your opinion on the following scenario:

A person applied and subsequently got a job offer for an academic position in a uni in KSA. The offer was through a friend in the uni. Hence, no formal offer letter was sent. A rough estimate of the package was conveyed without any details. No contract signed. Verbally, the person agreed to work but kept asking for a formal offer letter/contract. Did not get any. To his surprise, he received a copy of what they called 'visa' in his email and was asked to submit his educational documents and his passport at the Saudi cultural office and the Saudi consulate for attestation of education documents and for stamping of visa. He was still not sure whether to go for it or not. So he did not submit his documents/passport and just ignored.

Now that person got a proper official offer letter from another uni in KSA with clear details of the salary package including all the benefits. He has accepted this offer. And that's when he received an email from his friend in the first uni saying that the HR of the first uni will take legal action against him and that he could be banned from working in Saudi for 10 years.

My questions:

1. the first uni does not have that person's passport number or his educational documents. They only have his CV. Can they ban him based on the information in the CV?
2. Since the person has not signed any formal contract with them, would they be able to ban him if they wished to do so?

Thanking you in anticipation.

SKK