Kuwaiti woman on trial in multi-million fraud

A Kuwaiti criminal court has ordered jailing a Kuwaiti businesswoman pending her trial on charges of involvement in a multi-million development fraud.

The woman, a manager of exhibition organising company, and nine others are accused of swindling dozens of Kuwaitis out of around KD2.5 million in real-estate deals, Al Qabas newspaper reported, quoting a source.

“This money has been collected in connection to fake real-estate projects in the town of Al Khiran [in south Kuwait] and Sharm El Sheikh resort in Egypt,” the source added.

Fifty-nine Kuwaitis have filed legal complaints about having been defrauded of KD2.8 million in those deals.

More than 50 victims attended the women’s trial before the court ordered the prime defendant sent to the Central Prison and adjourning the hearings until next January to allow more time to examine documents of the case, Al Qabas said. The woman, whose name was not disclosed, is charged with fraud and money laundry.

Eight of the co-defendants were ordered released from jail on bail pending resumption of the trial.