Kuwait Court Hands Down Seven-Year Sentences and More Than $35m in Fines in Online Gambling and Money Laundering Case

A criminal court in Kuwait has imposed seven-year prison sentences on nine individuals convicted of running an online gambling platform and laundering the proceeds through a complex financial network, in a case described by authorities as an organised criminal scheme.

In addition to the custodial sentences, the court ordered each defendant to pay a fine of KD1m (approximately $3.3m). The combined personal fines total KD9m (around $29.7m).

The court also levied a separate penalty exceeding KD1.839m (about $6.0m) against a company implicated in the operation, bringing overall financial sanctions in the case to more than KD10.839m, or roughly $35.7m.

The Ministry of Interior said investigations revealed that revenue generated from the gambling website was channelled through bank accounts associated with a medical clinic as well as several commercial firms.

According to authorities, the funds were falsely recorded as legitimate business income before being recycled and transferred overseas in an effort to disguise their illicit origin.

Officials stated that the convictions were the result of sustained security operations aimed at dismantling organised criminal networks and safeguarding Kuwait’s financial system from illegal activity.

The ministry also cautioned that accessing illegal gambling websites or taking part in their operations constitutes a criminal offence. It warned that firm legal measures will be taken against anyone who exploits digital platforms for unlawful financial practices.

By fLEXI tEAM