State Security Crimes: 12 Defendants and 6 Companies Convicted in KWD 22 Million Money Laundering Case

In the first case, 12 Egyptians and six diverse companies, operating in food delivery, general trade, and retail, were accused of laundering 22 million and 294,000 dinars through alternative money transfer channels, collecting the funds in cash from the Egyptian community in Kuwait, and depositing them into several company accounts by forging bank statements and foreign transfer invoices.

The court acquitted the sixth and eleventh defendants, while sentencing the first five and the seventh through tenth defendants to 10 years in prison and fines of 44 million and 588,000 dinars, representing double the amounts involved in the money laundering offense. The commercial entities were fined 22 million and 294,000 dinars. The twelfth defendant was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of 6,000 dinars. All convicted individuals were banned from engaging in any commercial activity, their offices were permanently closed, and the convicted foreigners were deported from the country.

In a separate ruling, a foreign national was sentenced to five years in prison for membership in ISIS, while a Kuwaiti woman and man were exempted from punishment and fined 500 dinars each for the remaining charges, and acquitted of broadcasting false news. Another Kuwaiti citizen was sentenced to five years in prison for insulting the Amir and violating the National Unity Law, while two other citizens were exempted from punishment upon posting bail of 500 dinars each, and a drone was confiscated.