Kuwait's Public Prosecution has referred 73 suspects to criminal court in a financial crime case involving the alleged manipulation of commercial raffles, bribery, forgery and money laundering, state-run news agency Kuna reported on Tuesday.
The investigation, which covered raffle draws carried out under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry between 2021 and 2025, revealed a "highly organised criminal network" that allegedly manipulated the results in exchange for financial gains. Prosecutors said the group tampered with 110 raffles conducted under the ministry's supervision.
The alleged theft totalled more than 1.24 million Kuwaiti dinars ($4 million) in the form of vehicles, cash and other prizes, Kuna reported, quoting a statement from the Public Prosecution. Besides referring the defendants to court, authorities also confiscated cash.
The alleged manipulation was "deliberate and carefully organised, involving detailed planning, assigned roles, and a clear intent to deceive", prosecutors said. "The individuals involved aimed to illegally obtain raffle prizes through fraudulent means, violating the principles of fairness and transparency that underpin public draws," they added.
"Investigations have shown that the funds generated from these crimes have been reinvested in multiple financial transactions that were deliberately disguised to conceal their illegal nature in an attempt to evade legal oversight."
The scheme first came to light in March this year, after a video of a man allegedly manipulating the draw of a high-profile raffle went viral on social media. He was identified in Kuwaiti media as an employee of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry who supervised draws for the Kuwait Shopping Festival.
On March 27, the Public Prosecution ordered the arrest of a Kuwaiti citizen and five residents following an investigation that revealed their involvement in "serious" crimes, Kuna reported. Kuwaiti media reported at the time that an Egyptian and her husband, who won several prizes in raffles, including seven vehicles, were arrested while attempting to leave the country.
