Latest news with #YaHalaShoppingFestival
Gulf Insider
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Senior Kuwaiti Officials Monitor Raffle Draw Amid Fraud Concerns
Senior Kuwaiti government officials have shown up at the final draw of a major raffle after a recent suspected fraud that rocked the country and prompted massive investigations. The final raffle draw for this year's Ya Hala Shopping Festival was held on Saturday in the presence of the presence of Kuwait's Acting Prime Minister Fahad Al Youssef and Minister of Commerce Khalifa Al Ajeel, and under the supervision of a committee from the ministry. The festival's public relations head, Abdulrahman Al Badah, said the committee was formed under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce to conduct the final draw of the high-profile Kuwaiti festival, which ran from January 21 to March 31. More than 350 coupon boxes were collected from shopping malls across Kuwait in the lead-up to the draw, according to Al Badah. A total of 24 cars and $200,000 were at the centre of the final draw. The fraud case erupted in public last month after a video circulated on social media showing a person suspiciously acting during the draw. The Interior Ministry identified the person in the footage as a Kuwaiti citizen acting as the head of the draws department at the Ministry of Commerce. Investigations found out that he had exploited his position to systematically manipulate draws for prizes offered by companies, thus ensuring they will go to specific persons in exchange for financial benefits, the ministry added. The public prosecution said intensive investigations had revealed six people, including five expatriates, had been involved in 'serious crimes' including forging official documents, bribery, facilitating the seizure of state funds and money laundering causing 'significant harm' to the country's national interests. The prosecution added that it has issued several arrest and search warrants for six suspects and three international arrest warrants for other suspects who had fled the country. Last week, Kuwait's chief prosecutor ordered investigations into the case be confidential and imposed a ban on reporting about them to protect the course of the inquiry.
Gulf Insider
28-03-2025
- Gulf Insider
Kuwait: 6 Remanded As Inquiry Into Raffle Fraud Expands
Kuwait's prosecutors have ordered the remand of a Kuwaiti citizen and five expatriates suspected of involvement in a snowballing raffle draw fraud that has rocked the country. The case erupted in public earlier this week after a video circulated on social media showing a person fraudulently acting during the draw. The Interior Ministry identified the person in the footage as a Kuwaiti citizen acting as the head of the draws department at the Ministry of Commerce. Investigations found out that he had exploited his position to systematically manipulate draws for prizes offered by companies, thus ensuring they will go to specific persons in exchange for financial benefits. The Kuwaiti public prosecution said intensive investigations revealed that the six had been involved in 'serious crimes' including forging official documents, bribery, facilitating the seizure of state funds and money laundering causing 'significant harm' to the country's national interests. The prosecution added that it has issued several arrest and search warrants for six suspects and three international arrest warrants for other suspects who had fled the country. 'Their names have been circulated on international wanted lists for prosecution and extradition to the State of Kuwait for further investigation,' it said in a statement. Searching the suspects' residences yielded a cache of valuables, including gold bracelets and necklaces, watches, luxury pens, and cash suspected of being linked to the fraud at the centre of the inquiry, according to prosecutors. Additionally, documents, laptops, and mobile phones were seized, containing conclusive evidence of manipulation and forgery related to the raffle draws. To ascertain seamless control of the evidence in the case, the public prosecution ordered a freeze of the suspects' deposits in local and international banks, inquire about their accounts and financial transfers, and request forex companies to provide detailed statements of their financial transactions. 'This huge case, which has shaken the country, has exposed a complex criminal network that attempted to exploit loopholes to make illicit gains at the expense of state funds and national economic interests,' it added in a statement. Suspicions are rife that raffle draws linked to a famous annual shopping festival in Kuwait were manipulated with an Egyptian expat woman accused of winning several classy cars under suspicious circumstances. She and her husband were detained before they could leave Kuwait. A Ministry of Commerce employee was arrested too. The employee is accused of having surreptitiously taken the winning coupon from his sleeve during a raffle for a Cadillac on a TV show as part of the Ya Hala Shopping Festival. Authorities suspect the fraud ring to be more extensive than initially thought, involving individuals of several nationalities, including Egyptians, Indians, Asians, and Kuwaiti citizens.
Gulf Insider
27-03-2025
- Gulf Insider
Senior Kuwaiti Official Quits Over Raffle Draw Scam
A Kuwaiti commerce official has resigned after a high-profile raffle draw fraud has been unmasked in the country, triggering public outcry and massive investigations. Undersecretary of Kuwait's Ministry of Commerce and Industry Ziad Al Najem submitted his resignation to Minister Khalifa Al Ajeel, citing 'moral responsibility', reported Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas. 'We took the necessary legal measures against the violators in the draws case without delay. Still, this heinous incident has gone beyond the limits of the ministry and has reflected a negative image among citizens,' Al Najem was quoted as saying in his resignation letter. 'Out of a sense of moral responsibility as a leader and in defence of the efforts of all loyal employees of the ministry, I submit my resignation from my position,' he added. As the scam unfolded and key suspects were made, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced forming a fact-finding committee and began reviewing all previous draws. Suspicions are rife that raffle draws linked to a famous annual shopping festival were manipulated with an Egyptian expat woman accused of winning multiple prizes under suspicious circumstances. She and her husband were detained before they could leave Kuwait. A Ministry of Commerce employee was arrested too. Investigations revealed that the woman working for a charitable committee and her husband illegally had won seven luxury cars in different raffle draws. The ministry's employee is accused of having surreptitiously taken the winning coupon from his sleeve during a recent raffle draw for a Cadillac on a TV show as part of the Ya Hala Shopping Festival. Authorities suspect the fraud ring to be more extensive than initially thought, involving individuals of several nationalities, including Egyptians, Asians, and Kuwaiti citizens. As many as 40 Kuwaitis and expats are 'under suspicion' of manipulating the draws and allocating them to specific individuals after agreeing with them in exchange for financial sums, Al Qabas has reported, citing an official source. The suspects will all be summoned for investigation. The source revealed that the Ministry of Commerce is holding round-the-clock meetings to follow up on the draws. The ministry is currently reviewing all prize draws held since 2024 and is compiling a database for all draw winners. All those who won twice in recent years' draws will be summoned for questioning, according to media reports. The case erupted in public this week after a video circulated on social media showing a person fraudulently acting during the draw. The Interior Ministry identified the person in the footage as a Kuwaiti man acting as the head of the draws department at the Ministry of Commerce. Investigations found out that he had exploited his position to systematically manipulate draws for prizes offered by companies, thus ensuring they will go to specific persons in exchange for financial benefits. Source Gulf News
Arab Times
27-03-2025
- Arab Times
Kuwait Uncovers Major Fraud Network, Detains Citizen and Five Expatriates
KUWAIT CITY, March 27: The Public Prosecution has ordered the detention of a Kuwaiti citizen and five expatriates following extensive investigations into their involvement in serious crimes that have shocked the public. The charges include forgery of official documents, bribery of a public employee, embezzlement of state funds, money laundering, and other major offenses that have significantly harmed the country's national interests. In a statement, the Public Prosecution explained that these decisive measures were taken in response to recent social media reports regarding the involvement of a specialized employee at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The suspect, who held the position of supervisor for the special draws of the Ya Hala Kuwait Shopping Festival, allegedly exploited his role to commit systematic fraud in the weekly prize draws organized by the festival's sponsoring company. The event is held under the supervision of all relevant state authorities. Investigations revealed that the accused collaborated with several other suspects, some of whom fled the country immediately after their involvement was exposed. Swift Action and International Arrest Warrants In an exceptional and rapid response, the Public Prosecutor instructed the formation of an integrated investigation team, which began working on the case from the moment it was uncovered, in close coordination with the Ministry of Interior. The Public Prosecution issued multiple arrest and search warrants for six suspects, along with three international arrest warrants for others who had escaped Kuwait. Their names have been added to international wanted lists for prosecution and extradition back to Kuwait to complete investigations. Seizure of Evidence and Confessions During searches of the suspects' residences and vehicles, authorities recovered large quantities of valuables, including gold bracelets, necklaces, luxury watches, pens, and cash suspected to be linked to the crimes. Additionally, documents, laptops, and mobile phones containing conclusive evidence of fraud and forgery related to the Ya Hala Shopping Festival draws—as well as previous draws associated with other companies—were seized. When confronted with the evidence, the defendants provided detailed confessions, admitting to their criminal methods, including manipulation, forgery, and bribery, all of which were carried out in prior coordination with one another. Freezing Assets and Digital Forensics To secure all evidence, the Public Prosecution ordered the freezing of the defendants' funds in local and international banks, requested their account details and transaction records, and sought financial statements from exchange companies regarding their transactions. The seized electronic devices were sent to the General Department of Criminal Evidence's Cybercrime Division for forensic analysis, data extraction, and comprehensive reporting. Ongoing Investigations and Wider Implications The Public Prosecution emphasized that investigations are proceeding swiftly, with specialized employees from various government agencies being questioned to uncover all aspects of the case. Additional inquiries have been initiated based on the defendants' confessions, which may lead to new leads and expand the scope of the investigation to include other potential suspects. The Prosecution stated that this high-profile case has exposed a sophisticated criminal network that sought to exploit systemic vulnerabilities for illicit financial gain at the expense of state funds and national economic interests. It reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the case with the utmost rigor to ensure justice is served and all involved parties are held accountable.
Web Release
27-03-2025
- Business
- Web Release
CFI Becomes Official Partner of Kuwait Basketball Association
By Editor_wr Last updated Mar 26, 2025 CFI, the region's leading online trading provider, is thrilled to announce its new partnership with the Kuwait Basketball Association (KBA) as the Official Partner for the 2025 Kuwait Basketball Season. This collaboration underscores CFI's commitment to supporting local sports and fostering community engagement. The partnership was formalized during a signing ceremony in Kuwait, in the presence of CFI Kuwait management and representatives from the Kuwait Basketball Association, including Dhari Barjas, President of the Federation, Thamer Al-Shanfa, Secretary General and Owaid Al-Anzi, Assistant Secretary of the Federation. The event marked CFI's latest initiative in driving meaningful engagement through sport. The collaboration will elevate the brand's visibility while contributing to the development of basketball and youth engagement in Kuwait. The partnership ensures strong visibility for CFI through multiple touchpoints, including broadcast, digital, and on-ground exposure. From social media coverage and in-venue branding, CFI's presence will be embedded throughout the remaining basketball season, reinforcing its role as an active supporter of sports in Kuwait. In line with its commitment to community engagement, CFI will also connect with fans through activations such as contests, MVP recognitions, and social media interactions that celebrate participation and sporting excellence. This partnership follows CFI's recent sponsorship of the Arabian Gulf Cup (Khaleeji Zain 26) in Kuwait and its role as a Strategic Partner of Kuwait's Ya Hala Shopping Festival, further reinforcing the company's growing presence and long-term commitment to the country. Through these back-to-back initiatives, CFI continues to align its brand with meaningful moments that bring people together, whether through sports, culture, or community engagement. 'We're proud to partner with the Kuwait Basketball Association in a way that reflects CFI's broader commitment to performance, visibility, and meaningful community engagement,' said Hisham Mansour, Co-Founder and Managing Director of CFI Financial Group. 'This collaboration strengthens our presence in Kuwait and connects our brand with the energy and excellence that sports bring to the region.' 'We are pleased to welcome CFI as an official partner of the Kuwait Basketball Association,' said Dhari Barjas, President of the Federation. 'This partnership reflects a shared commitment to elevating the visibility of the sport and building strong connections between the sports and business sectors in Kuwait.' 'Kuwait is an important part of our MENA expansion strategy, and this partnership is a step forward in deepening our local engagement,' said Loay Azar, MENA CEO at CFI. 'By supporting community-driven initiatives like basketball, we reinforce our commitment to being more than just a financial services provider—we're here to contribute meaningfully to the markets and communities we serve.' Through this partnership, CFI reinforces its core values of empowerment, growth, and excellence, boosting brand visibility while deepening its connection with the community. Just as CFI empowers traders in their financial journey, this collaboration reflects the brand's commitment to meaningful engagement beyond trading. CFI Becomes Official Partner of Kuwait Basketball Association Comments are closed.
