Public Prosecution detains citizen, five residents for raffle manipulation, financial frauds

The Public Prosecution in Kuwait has ordered the detention of a citizen and five residents following extensive investigations that uncovered their involvement in serious crimes that have deeply impacted public opinion.

The charges against them include forging official documents, bribing a public employee, facilitating the embezzlement of state funds, and engaging in money laundering. Additionally, they are accused of committing other offenses that have caused significant harm to the country’s national interests.

In a press statement, the Public Prosecution clarified that these decisive measures were taken in response to recent reports circulating on social media regarding the involvement of a specialized public employee at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The employee, who serves as the supervisor of special raffles for the Kuwait Shopping Festival “Ya Hala,” is suspected of misconduct, prompting authorities to take swift action to uphold transparency and integrity.

The Public Prosecution further stated that investigations revealed the employee had abused his position to orchestrate systematic fraud and manipulation in the weekly raffles for prizes sponsored by the company organizing the festival. These raffles, conducted under the supervision of all relevant government agencies, were allegedly tampered with for personal gain, undermining the fairness and credibility of the event.

Furthermore, the Public Prosecution further explained that a group of additional defendants was involved in the scheme, with some fleeing the country as soon as their involvement was exposed.

In response, and as an exceptional and urgent measure, the Public Prosecutor ordered the formation of a specialized investigation team. This team, working in close coordination with the Ministry of Interior, began its inquiries immediately upon uncovering the case, ensuring a swift and thorough investigation.

The statement further revealed that the investigation team successfully obtained multiple arrest and search warrants for six suspects. Additionally, three international arrest warrants were issued for individuals who fled the country. Their names have been added to international wanted lists to facilitate their prosecution and extradition to Kuwait.

Moreover, the statement further detailed that searches conducted at the suspects’ residences and vehicles led to the seizure of a substantial quantity of valuables, including gold bracelets and necklaces, luxury watches and pens, as well as large sums of cash suspected to be linked to the crimes.

Additionally, authorities confiscated documents, laptops, and mobile phones containing conclusive evidence of fraud and forgery related to the free draws of the Kuwait Shopping Festival “Ya Hala,” along with evidence of similar manipulations in previous raffles associated with other companies.

The statement noted that the Public Prosecution has begun interrogating the defendants, who provided detailed confessions about their criminal methods and the coordinated mechanisms they used for manipulation, forgery, and bribery. When presented with the seized items and supporting evidence, they admitted to their involvement in the crimes with precision and clarity, further confirming the extent of their fraudulent activities.

Emphasizing further, the statement mentioned that, to ensure full control over the evidence in the case, the Public Prosecution issued orders to seize all funds belonging to the defendants held in local and international banks. Additionally, authorities initiated inquiries into their bank accounts and financial transactions, while also directing exchange companies to provide detailed records of their monetary dealings.

The statement also noted that the seized computers and mobile phones were sent to the General Department of Criminal Evidence, specifically the Computer Crimes Combating Division, for thorough examination and data analysis. Authorities have requested comprehensive and detailed reports on their contents to assess their significance in the case.

Importantly, the statement reaffirmed that the Public Prosecution is pressing forward with its investigations at an accelerated pace, summoning relevant officials from various government agencies for questioning on all aspects of the case. Furthermore, additional inquiries have been launched into other incidents that the defendants admitted to during interrogations. This has opened new avenues for uncovering further details and expanding the investigation’s scope to include additional suspects.

The Public Prosecution reaffirmed its commitment to conducting thorough and precise investigations to ensure justice is served and all those involved are held accountable.

Source: Al Jarida