Kuwait: Social media infuencers suspected of money laundering released on bail
Second group set for interrogation as crackdown continues
Cairo: Kuwait’s prosecutors have ordered the release of eight social media influencers on bail after they were interrogated over suspected money laundering and inflated bank accounts, Al Rai newspaper reported today.
The eight were ordered to pay bail ranging from 2,000 to 20,000 dinars, it added.
During investigations, they had denied accusations of involvement in money laundering through earnings from unlicensed advertising and publicity, setting up a personal account linked to an unauthorized profession, failure to register for commercial records, and violating the consumer protection law by promoting unlicensed products and services, the report said.
The eight influencers include Yaqub Boushehri, Maryam Reda and Jamal Al Najada whose release was ordered on a bail of 20,000 dinars each.
The public prosecution also ordered release of Dana Al Tuwarish on a bail of 10,000 dinars; Halema Bouland on 3,000 dinars; Farah Al Hadi on 2,000; Noha Nabil 10,000; and Ebrahim Khalil 1,000.
In July, the Kuwaiti Central Bank froze the bank accounts of 10 social media influencers on orders of the public prosecution while the Ministry of Interior sent the names of the accused to the land border and airport customs to ensure that they do not attempt to flee.
At the time, the public prosecution also ordered to freeze the accounts of Boutiqaat, one of the Middle East’s largest e-commerce cosmetics and fashion companies. Most social media influencers at the centre of the high-profile case used to sell their products on Boutiqaat’s website.
A second group of the Kuwaiti influencers are to be summoned soon for interrogations, Al Rai said Tuesday without details.