The Court of Appeal headed by Counselor Abdullah Al-Sane with judges Saud Al-Mutairi and Bassam Al-Ghuainim issued its final ruling in the case on Wednesday, increasing the commerce employee’s original 10-year term to 15 years in prison together with a KD 3 million fine. An Egyptian woman, her husband and 15 additional defendants each received 10-year sentences and KD 3 million fines for their roles in the bribery, forgery and money laundering operation. Four other defendants obtained four-year prison terms after the court convicted them on charges of bribery, forgery and manipulating raffle results, according to the official ruling.
The ruling identified the ministry employee as the central figure in the organized network who accepted approximately KD 282,000 in bribes while forging documents and exploiting his official position in ways that damaged public trust in the regulatory framework. Court records showed the group had predetermined winners across 110 draws that included 96 vehicles plus cash prizes, rewards and tickets by employing fraudulent methods to alter outcomes. The verdict drew on evidence gathered during a lengthy investigation that established how the conspiracy undermined the integrity of promotions supervised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
KUNA reported in October 2025 that public prosecutors had referred 73 suspects to criminal court after uncovering the highly organized criminal network responsible for tampering with raffle results between 2021 and 2025 in exchange for illicit financial gains. The investigation expanded significantly after a video showing apparent irregularities in a live draw circulated widely on social media, prompting authorities to act against key figures including the ministry employee and the Egyptian couple before they could depart the country. Kuwait Times noted at the time that the ministry had suspended distribution of raffle prizes while it coordinated with relevant agencies to verify the claims and pursue legal procedures.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry had initiated its probe into possible manipulation of Kuwait Shopping Festival raffles following the emergence of the video in March 2025, according to contemporary accounts from the state news agency. That step led to arrests and a broader inquiry that eventually implicated individuals from several nationalities in the systematic fraud. Prosecutors built their case around evidence of how bribes influenced the selection process and enabled the sharing of proceeds among conspirators.
In its final accounting the court acquitted 13 defendants while determining that 38 others would face no punishment, the ruling specified. The decision marks the conclusion of what authorities have described as one of Kuwait’s major corruption prosecutions involving commercial fraud and abuse of public office. Convicted parties must also contend with the substantial fines that correspond to the scale of the benefits obtained through the rigged competitions.
