Corruption network involving cooperative societies and companies busted in Kuwait

KUWAIT CITY, July 22: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior (MoI), through its Criminal Security Sector, announced on Tuesday the arrest of a corruption network involving multiple members of the Union of Cooperative Societies, a cooperative society’s board member, six commercial companies, and 14 brokers and employees.

According to a statement from the MoI’s Public Relations and Security Media Department, investigations uncovered clear evidence that several members received bribes from commercial companies. These payments were made in exchange for promoting the companies’ products and granting them preferential treatment within the cooperatives, actions that violate official regulations.

The statement further revealed that several brokers responsible for handling and transferring the illicit funds were also detained. Upon interrogation, all suspects admitted to their involvement in the corrupt activities.

A total of 19 suspects were arrested across two separate cases, including four members of the Union of Cooperative Societies, one cooperative society board member, three brokers acting as intermediaries between companies and cooperative members, two employees of the Union and cooperative societies, and nine employees from the implicated commercial companies.

The Ministry confirmed that it has taken all necessary legal actions against the suspects and referred the case to the relevant judicial authorities. It reiterated its strong commitment to tackling any violations that compromise the integrity of cooperative operations.

Seized items along with the accused were referred to the authorities

KUWAIT CITY, July 21: A man in his thirties was caught red-handed in a dramatic drug bust in Sharq area after trying to resist arrest.

Police patrols spotted the suspect behaving erratically while driving a four-wheel-drive vehicle. As officers approached, the man attempted to flee the scene, triggering a tense pursuit. But the chase didn’t last long; the patrol quickly forced the vehicle to a halt.

Upon searching the vehicle and the suspect, officers discovered a damning stash: two bottles of alcohol, a quantity of narcotics, and a suspicious bundle of KD 1,000 in cash. The man, described by police as being in an “intoxicated state,” was immediately arrested on suspicion of drug use and possession.

The seized items were confiscated, and the accused was handed over to the General Department for Drug Control, where he now faces serious charges related to drug and alcohol possession.

Police sources say the quick response and alertness of the patrol team helped prevent what could have been a dangerous situation on the road.

KUWAIT CITY, July 21: The Court of Cassation has sentenced an Egyptian national to 10 years in prison with hard labor for charges of breach of trust, embezzlement, and money laundering during his time as a financial manager at the Kuwait Teachers Association.

In addition to the prison term, the court ordered the defendant to pay a fine of approximately KD 1 million and ruled that he be deported from the country upon completion of his sentence.

The case dates back to 2018, when the accused was found to have manipulated the association’s accounts, repeatedly increasing his own salary, issuing unauthorized payments, and disbursing checks that bounced. Investigations revealed that he had exploited his position to issue five unapproved checks and embezzled over KD 500,000, which he funneled into a private business venture.

The stolen funds were allegedly used to open a cosmetic clinic, which generated over KD 400,000 in profits. The court viewed this as a clear case of laundering illicit gains under the guise of legitimate investment.

The final ruling brings an end to a high-profile case that highlighted serious breaches of financial oversight within the association.