207 Called Themselves 'Ana Kuwaiti' ...But DNA Revealed the Truth

Arab Times

4 days ago

KUWAIT CITY, July 25: In what is now being called one of the largest and most methodically dismantled cases of citizenship fraud in Kuwait's history, the nationality of 207 individuals has been officially revoked after an intense year-long investigation uncovered a sprawling network of identity forgery, primarily involving individuals of Syrian origin.
The elaborate scheme, which authorities say spanned years and infiltrated official family registries, was cracked open thanks to an anonymous tip-off in July 2024 that triggered a domino effect of interrogations, DNA testing, and international cooperation.
The Tip That Sparked the Storm
It all began quietly last summer, when Kuwaiti security authorities received intelligence about a man named Qassem, a naturalized Kuwaiti suspected of fraudulently acquiring citizenship. According to the tip, Qassem was not Kuwaiti at all—but in fact, a Syrian national.
Preliminary inquiries quickly confirmed that Qassem had a sister living in Kuwait, married to another Syrian man working in the contracting sector. When Qassem's name was flagged, investigators discovered he had already fled the country, raising suspicions further.
His sister was promptly summoned for questioning. Under pressure, she admitted Qassem was her brother and confirmed his Kuwaiti citizenship status. She insisted, however, that their relationship had long since deteriorated and that she had no knowledge of his current whereabouts.
DNA Uncovers Hidden Kinship
Undeterred by Qassem's disappearance, investigators turned their attention to his children, one of whom is reportedly serving as a Kuwaiti officer. DNA samples were collected and compared to Qassem's sister and her husband. The results were indisputable: the children were biologically related to the Syrian couple, further validating Qassem's non-Kuwaiti origins.
The Shocking Scale of the Fraud
Digging deeper, authorities turned their focus to Qassem's official family file. It listed 22 names, allegedly all siblings. Of these, 16 individuals were genuine Kuwaiti citizens who confirmed their identities and tribal affiliation.
But six names (including Qassem) were complete fabrications, added illegally to the file without the real family's knowledge. Investigators now realized they were dealing with a calculated and large-scale operation of identity infiltration.
Tracing the Forged Network
The true identities of the other five fake siblings remained unknown, as none of the legitimate family members could identify them. To unmask these individuals, a tripartite task force was formed between the Nationality Investigation Department, the Syrian authorities, and the Central Agency for Illegal Residents (Bedoon).
It emerged that all five individuals, like Qassem, had either stateless or Syrian relatives residing in Kuwait. And all had vanished abroad following the initial investigation—presumably to avoid capture.
Unmasking the Imposters
By May 2025, two of the five remaining forgers had been positively identified through cross-border cooperation. Their citizenships (along with Qassem's and those of their direct relatives) were immediately revoked.
To identify the final three, authorities undertook a series of DNA tests on their children residing in Kuwait. These samples were then matched with paternal and maternal relatives, particularly among Syrian and stateless families, leading to the same conclusive result: the individuals were biologically linked to Syrian families, not Kuwaiti ones.
The Final Sweep: Citizenship Revoked from 207 People
With solid genetic and documentary proof, the Supreme Nationality Investigation Committee acted swiftly, conducting a full 'disassembly' of all the forged files.
Citizenship was stripped from 104 individuals in a final batch, while 103 others had their status revoked earlier as evidence was confirmed.
Breakdown of the revocations:
Zero Tolerance for Identity Fraud
The Kuwaiti government has made it clear that any forgery uncovered (backdated) will be pursued with full legal force. Officials noted that comprehensive dismantling of fraudulent family links, marriages, and dependencies will continue as necessary.
Authorities emphasized that citizenship is a matter of national security and identity, and anyone proven to have obtained it through deception will be held accountable—regardless of their current role, residency, or status.
This case serves as a stark reminder of Kuwait's commitment to preserving the sanctity of its national records and taking decisive action against fraudsters who manipulate lineage and legal status for personal or economic gain.