Kuwait jails three for seven years each over online gambling and money laundering scheme
Syrian and two Egyptians are linked to gambling and money laundering network
Kuwait's Court of Appeal has sentenced a Syrian national and two Egyptians to seven years in prison each for operating an online gambling and money laundering network that channelled millions of dinars through shell companies and alternative money transfer systems.
The State Security Circuit at the Court of Appeal also imposed combined fines of KD16.839 million on the three defendants after convicting them of running an international electronic betting operation and laundering proceeds derived from the activity, Al Qabas Arabic daily reported.
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The court further fined five shell companies a total of KD8.419 million after finding they had been used as fronts to conceal and transfer funds linked to illegal online gambling operations.
According to court documents, the Syrian suspect acted as an agent for a global online gambling platform and led a network that funnelled betting proceeds through fictitious companies and fraudulent invoices. The funds were subsequently introduced into the financial system and later transferred abroad through alternative remittance channels.
Investigations conducted by Kuwait's criminal investigation and state security authorities uncovered the network's activities and financial movements before the suspects were arrested and referred to trial.
Authorities said the funds involved exceeded KD 8.419 million. The case comes as Kuwait and other GCC states step up efforts to combat money laundering and illicit financial activities, including online gambling and cross-border financial crime.
