Kuwait jails nine Syrians for 10 years in money laundering case

Dubai: Kuwait's State Security and Terrorism Crimes Circuit at the Criminal Court  has sentenced nine Syrian nationals to 10 years in prison after convicting them of operating an organised criminal network that laundered around KD 2.29 million, Al Qabas Arabic daily reported.

The court also fined the defendants and two companies specialising in general trading and the sale of perfumes and incense a combined KD 6.884 million. It ordered the closure of the two companies and barred them from carrying out commercial activities, while acquitting two other defendants.

According to prosecutors, the group formed an organised criminal network that laundered proceeds obtained through fraud, forged banking documents, conducted unlicensed banking activities, transferred funds abroad through illegal channels and concealed their origin.

Investigators said the defendants lured victims through online advertisements offering food products for sale before directing them to bank payment links that charged amounts higher than those agreed. The funds were then allegedly used to purchase goods, which were resold before the proceeds were converted into cash.

The investigation found that the group deposited the funds into bank accounts in Kuwait disguised as legitimate business revenues before transferring them to accounts in several foreign countries in an attempt to conceal their illicit origin. Some of the defendants were also convicted of falsifying information related to bank deposit transactions.