Latest news with #YaHala
Arab Times
05-04-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait Shopping Festival ‘Ya Hala' concludes
KUWAIT CITY, April 5: The ninth and 10th draws of the Kuwait Shopping Festival, 'Ya Hala', were held under the supervision of a committee from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and in the presence of Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Fahad Yousef Saud Al-Sabah and Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Al- Ajeel, reports Al-Seyassah daily. Public Relations Director for the festival Abdulrahman Al-Badah confirmed the formation of a committee under the supervision of the ministry to conduct the final draws -- ninth and 10th draws for the festival that ran from Jan 21 to March 31. Al-Badah said more than 350 boxes of coupons were collected from shopping malls and centers throughout the country.
Arab Times
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
Kuwait Orders Confidentiality in 'Ya Hala' Festival Fraud Investigation
KUWAIT CITY, March 29: The Public Prosecution is currently investigating Case No. 947 of 2025, Capital Prosecution, registered under No. 550 of 2025, Criminal Investigations. This case arises from a report submitted by the Ministry of Interior security services, which implicates several individuals in tampering with the raffle draws for the Kuwait Shopping Festival, "Ya Hala." The alleged crimes under investigation include forgery, bribery, embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and actions detrimental to the national interests of the country. In light of the information being circulated across media outlets and social media platforms regarding this case—and given the potential negative impact such dissemination may have on the integrity of the investigation and the nation's interests—the Public Prosecution emphasizes the importance of preserving confidentiality to prevent harm to individuals and entities before a conviction is established. Under Article 75, Paragraph 2 of the Criminal Procedures and Trials Law, as amended by Law No. 3 of 2012, the Attorney General has ordered that the investigation remain confidential and that any news or information related to the case be strictly prohibited. Legal action will be taken against anyone who violates this order. The Public Prosecution will release the investigation's findings to the media as soon as the inquiry is concluded.
Arab Times
27-03-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait's Ninth 'Ya Hala' Raffle Draw Rescheduled to April 5
KUWAIT CITY, March 28: Dr. Nasser Al-Maraghi, Chairman of the newly-formed Supervisory Committee for Raffles and Promotions, has announced the committee's operational launch with a mandate to eliminate past irregularities in commercial raffles. "The previous situation that raised suspicions of manipulation will not be permitted to continue," Dr. Al-Maraghi stated emphatically. The chairman emphasized the Ministry of Commerce's commitment to rebuilding public confidence in its oversight procedures and protecting the integrity of Kuwait's economic reputation. Established by Ministerial Resolution No. 27 (2025) on March 24, the committee is currently developing comprehensive reforms to ensure raffle integrity through enhanced transparency measures. In its first major decision, the committee has coordinated with Kuwait Shopping Festival "Ya Hala" organizers to postpone the ninth raffle. This draw will now be combined with the tenth raffle scheduled for April 5, allowing time to implement and verify new procedural safeguards. "This postponement ensures we can properly establish and test all new mechanisms before proceeding," Dr. Al-Maraghi explained. "Our focus is creating absolute transparency and credibility for all future raffle events while addressing previous system vulnerabilities."
Arab Times
27-03-2025
- Arab Times
Raffle Rigging Scandal: 58 Under Investigation, Airport Arrests Continue
KUWAIT CITY, March 28: A security source informed that the number of individuals under investigation in the recent Ya Hala raffle fraud case has risen to 58, including 25 expatriates of various nationalities. The source revealed that the primary suspect in the case was presented before the Public Prosecution the day before yesterday. During the hearing, he was confronted with the evidence gathered by detectives, and a decision was issued to extend his detention pending further investigation. According to the source, all individuals linked to the case—whether Kuwaiti citizens or expatriates, including those under suspicion or those who won prizes multiple times in previous years—have been placed on travel ban or arrest lists. The source described the case as complex, noting that some individuals have already been summoned for questioning, while others will face the same procedure in due course. Attempts to Flee Thwarted The source added that anyone implicated in the raffle scam who attempts to leave the country will be intercepted at the airport and transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department. Notably, three suspects were recently arrested at the airport while trying to flee. In the past few hours, joint task forces from the Ministries of Interior and Commerce have been formed to identify and place all suspects—citizens and expatriates alike—on travel ban lists. Confessions and Key Findings During interrogation, the main suspect admitted that his association with the accused woman and her husband began in 2021. He disclosed that he facilitated her first prize win of 20,000 dinars and five additional prizes, including luxury vehicles. He also enabled her husband to win cash and in-kind rewards. The suspect further revealed that his initial connection to the couple was through an expatriate who has since fled to his home country. Forensic analysis of the main suspect's and the accused's phones uncovered communications with individuals from two other countries. Investigators found that the accused had received prizes from these countries, with most of the prize money being funneled back to her. Ongoing Manhunt and Further Investigations The source confirmed that other key suspects remain at large, and legal measures have been taken to authorize detectives—armed with prosecution orders and initial investigation reports—to locate and interrogate them. In the coming days, investigation teams will pursue fugitive suspects, including the main suspect's accomplice, an employee who escaped last Sunday morning. While his identity is known, authorities have declined to disclose his current whereabouts. Scrutiny of Past Winners All past winners of major raffle prizes will be summoned for questioning to determine how much money was withdrawn from their accounts immediately or shortly after their wins—and where those funds were directed. Assurances to the Public The source reassured Kuwaiti citizens and expats that the case is being handled with utmost diligence, emphasizing that all involved parties—inside or outside Kuwait—will be pursued. Strict measures are in place to prevent suspects from leaving the country, as all ports have been provided with updated travel ban lists. Additional Revelations Detainees have provided statements implicating others, including an expatriate of a different nationality, whom the main accused allegedly helped win four prizes. This individual has since been arrested. When asked whether the main suspect acted alone, the source replied, 'At this stage, it appears so, but the fugitive expatriate's testimony may reveal additional accomplices.' The total value of the cash and in-kind prizes uncovered is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dinars. Investigators also discovered software on the main suspect's computer capable of rigging raffle outcomes, allowing him to predetermine winners even among tens of thousands of participants.
Arab Times
27-03-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait to scrutinize draws since 2015 in escalating ‘Ya Hala' saga
KUWAIT CITY, March 27: The Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Abdullah Al-Ajeel Al-Askar Wednesday briefed the Cabinet on the measures taken by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry regarding the controversial draw during the shopping festival, reports Al-Seyassah Daily. He said the case has been referred to the Public Prosecution, along with information on some suspicious activities during the draw. Al-Askar affirmed the ministry's keenness to apply the law in coordination with security authorities, and pledged to take all necessary steps to assure consumers. In response, the Cabinet expressed its full support for Minister Al-Askar's legal actions and stressed the importance of enforcing the law against any offenders. In the latest development, the Commerce Ministry's truth-seeking committee said on Thursday that draws of banks and commercial enterprises, dating back to 2015, would be scrutinized to determine their lawfulness. The head of the committee Adnan Abol told KUNA that the date of scrutiny might be stretched back depending on the evidence and legal process. He revealed that an online platform would be launched for the public to receive complaints and information regarding any suspicious activities in a step to enhance transparency and fairness. A name-list of individuals supervising the draws is being prepared as part of the current measures, he affirmed, adding that any person suspected of foul play would be sent to competent authorities for investigation. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution ordered the detention of a citizen and five residents after extensive investigations into their involvement in serious crimes, such as the forgery of official documents, bribery of a public employee, facilitating the theft of state-owned funds, money laundering, and other major offenses that have caused huge harm to the country's national interests. These actions come amid circulating reports on social media regarding the involvement of a representative from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who oversaw the raffles for the Kuwait Shopping Festival 'Ya Hala'. Investigations revealed that the official exploited his position to manipulate the weekly raffles for prizes sponsored by the festival. He worked in collaboration with several other defendants, some of whom fled the country immediately after their involvement was exposed. In an exceptional move, the Public Prosecutor instructed the formation of an integrated investigation team, which began working immediately after the case was discovered, in close coordination with the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Interior. The Public Prosecution issued arrest and search warrants for six suspects, as well as three international arrest warrants for others who fled the country. Their names have been added to international wanted lists for prosecution and extradition to Kuwait for further investigation. During the searches of the suspects' residences and vehicles, large quantities of valuables were seized, including gold bracelets, necklaces, watches, luxury pens, and huge sums of cash believed to be linked to the crimes. Documents, laptops, and mobile phones were also confiscated, containing conclusive evidence of fraud and forgery related to the free draws at the Kuwait Shopping Festival 'Ya Hala' as well as previous draws involving other companies. To ensure full control over the case's evidence, the Public Prosecution issued orders to seize all funds of the defendants deposited in local and international banks, as well as to inquire about their accounts and financial transactions. It also instructed exchange companies to provide detailed records of the defendants' financial activities. In addition, the seized computers and mobile phones were sent to the General Department of Criminal Evidence's Cyber Crimes Division for examination and analysis, followed by the submission of comprehensive and accurate reports on their contents and implications. The Public Prosecution is expediting its investigations, and summoning relevant employees from various government agencies for questioning on all aspects of the case. Investigations have also expanded to include other incidents confessed by the defendants, with new leads emerging and the investigation continuing to grow to potentially involve additional perpetrators. Representing several citizens and residents who participated in the Ya Hala Shopping Festival raffles, Lawyer Mohammed Al-Jassim says the manipulation of the raffles has damaged the reputation of the organizing entities and harmed the financial and moral interests of individuals and companies that adhered to all the announced conditions. He insisted that urgent action by the judicial authorities is necessary, including an immediate order to freeze the bank accounts of all defendants involved in the case. Lawyer Al-Jassim also called for contacting the General Department of Criminal Investigation to obtain a list of all bank transfers, both incoming and outgoing, to and from the defendants' accounts during the investigation period. He said these transfers should be analyzed and cross-checked with the names of previous raffle winners to assess any potential financial connections or direct relationships with the defendants. Lawyer Al-Jassim requested a comprehensive list of all raffles conducted by the employees of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, including the dates of each transaction, to crosscheck the winners' names for any potential repetition or manipulation. He further requested the records of incoming and outgoing calls of all defendants during the relevant periods, to be compared with the names of the winners and participants. Lawyer Al-Jassim also called for an extensive investigation into everyone with the authority or responsibility to select names in raffles, recruitment, or other competitions. He emphasized the need for an investigation into the crime of bribery, highlighting that the crime involves obtaining financial benefits through fraud and manipulation, often disguised as a 'prize.' Lawyer Al-Jassim explained that the sale or disposal of these prizes indicates the crime of money laundering and warrants investigation by the State Security and Anti-Money Laundering Department. This includes tracing the origin of the prizes obtained through fraud and determining whether they were used to conceal or transfer illicit funds.
