Who are the social media influencers charged in Kuwait money laundering scheme?

Kuwait City: The Ministry of Interior has released the names of the 10 social media influencers who are being charged with money laundering, Kuwait media reported.

The Attorney General, Dhara Al Asousi, has ordered the immediate seizure of all their assets and issued them with a travel ban.

The Central Bank has frozen the suspects’ bank accounts, as per the orders of the public prosecution, and the Ministry of Interior has sent the names of the accused to the land border and airport customs to ensure that they do not attempt to flee.

The accused are:

1. Fouz Al Fahad

2. Abdul Wahab Al Essa

3. Dana Al Tuwarish

4. Mishari Buyabis

5. Halema Bouland

6. Maryam Reda

7. Farah Hady

8. Jamal Al Najada

9. Shifa Al Kharaz

10. Yaqub Boushehri

The public prosecution has also ordered to freeze the accounts of Boutiqaat, one of the largest e-commerce cosmetics and fashion companies 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.

Two weeks ago, the public prosecution received 10 complaints against five social media influencers, who’s accounts have drastically increased.

Who are they?

Fouz Al Fahad, otherwise known by her Instagram name ‘the Real Fouz’, is a 29-year-old Kuwaiti fashion influencer. Al Fahad has 3.2 million followers on Instagram and is the owner of The Real Fouz Beauty salon. She also has her make-up line ‘Real Fouz Beauty’, as well as her own lipstick shade from MAC Cosmetics.

Al Essa is the Co-Founder of Boutiqaat. Al Essa also founded OMEDIA, the Middle East’s first social media influencer marketing agency. He is a member of the New-Kuwait Group, Kuwait Journalists Association and a frequent presenter on various TV political programme. Al Essa is also running for member of parliament in the upcoming November elections.

Dana Al Tuwarish, an Iraqi fashion influencer based in Kuwait, has around 2.3 million followers on Instagram. Al Tuwarish just opened the third branch of her beauty Saloon Cheya, back in February.

Halema Bouland is a Kuwaiti television presenter and winner of Miss Arab Journalist in 2007. Bouland has a number of shows on several television stations from MBC and Rotana to Kuwait TV and Al Funoon. The 39-year-old TV influencer has over 3 million followers on Instagram.

Farah Hady, is a Bidoon (stateless person), fashion social media influencer. Al Hady has over 5 million followers on Instagram and has her own cosmetics brand, called ‘Farah Al Hady’. The social media influencer has collaborated with several large cosmetics brands like MAC and Smashbox.

Jamal Al Najada, otherwise known by her Instagram name ‘Jamal Collection’, is a fashion and make up social media influencer. Al Najada has a cosmetics and perfume brand called Jamal Collection. She has a total of 968,000 followers on Instagram.

Yaqoub Boushehri, otherwise known by his Snapchat name ‘BoKhaled’, has a following over 2 million on Snapchat. BoKhaled is a lifestyle blogger and a co-owner in various restaurants and perfume brands.

Mishari Buyabis is a political social media influencer. Buyabis is owner of a marketing agency that represents social media influencers.

Shifa Al Kharaz specialises in organizing trips inside and outside of Kuwait.

Maryam Reda identity has not been confirmed.