25 Saudi influencers linked to Kuwait money laundering scandal

Abu Dhabi: Twenty-five Saudi influencers are on the radars of state security intelligence in connection with a Kuwaiti money laundering scandal, Saudi media reported.

The Kuwait public prosecution has charged 10 Kuwaiti influencers with money laundering and ordered to freeze the accounts of Boutiqaat, one of the largest e-commerce cosmetics and fashion businesses in the Middle East.

The co-founder of Boutiqaat, Abdul Wahab Al Essa, is included in the list of suspects. Most of the social media influencers that are being charged sell their products on Boutiqaat’s website.

For their part, the Emirati influencers withdrew almost en masse from Boutiqaat, saying their relationship with the major e-commerce business was severed and they had nothing more to do with it.

Under the UAE Penal Code, money laundering is a state security crime that carries a penalty of life imprisonment.