State Security Crimes Court sentences 22 defendants to 10 years in prison and fines of 229 million dinars against them and their companies in two money laundering cases

The State Security and Terrorism Crimes Department at the Criminal Court, presided over by Advisor Nasser Al-Badr, issued its rulings yesterday in two money laundering cases. In the first case, the court sentenced one Kuwaiti national and two residents to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labor, and fined two commercial entities owned by them 7.454 million Kuwaiti dinars, for laundering funds through what is known as “hawala” (alternative remittance). The court also issued rulings in another money laundering case, sentencing six Kuwaiti nationals and 13 residents to 10 years of imprisonment with hard labor, and fining them 81.881 million Kuwaiti dinars. This judgment also included fines imposed on 20 commercial entities linked to the defendants, amounting to 140.940 million Kuwaiti dinars. The defendants in the second case were referred to trial after the Public Prosecution accused them of collecting cash funds and depositing them into accounts of companies, restaurants, taxi offices, and currency exchange shops, then transferring part of the funds outside Kuwait to conceal their source and legitimize them. Meanwhile, the court sentenced a Kuwaiti woman to three years of imprisonment with hard labor for the charge of broadcasting false news.