Kuwaiti teacher sentenced to seven years for eight-year medical leave fraud scheme
Court upholds prison term and KD 100,000 fine for teacher who forged medical leaves
Dubai: A Kuwaiti teacher has been sentenced to seven years in prison after the Court of Cassation upheld a conviction for forging medical leave documents over an eight-year period and unlawfully collecting tens of thousands of dinars in salaries.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the teacher to pay a fine of 100,000 Kuwaiti dinars (approximately $325,000) and to repay double the amount she had unlawfully received.
According to case records, the teacher, employed by the Ministry of Education from February 27, 2017, to May 5, 2022, submitted 17 falsified medical recommendations falsely attributed to the General Medical Council at the Ministry of Health. These documents granted her exceptional leave, enabling her to continue drawing a salary despite being absent from work.
Authorities said the scheme allowed the teacher to illegally obtain 68,000 dinars in salary payments, which she used for personal gain. Investigators found that she colluded with an unidentified accomplice, and that the scheme was carried out with the alleged assistance of public employees within her employing agency.
The court convicted her of forgery of official documents and fraudulent acquisition of government funds.
