Kuwait’s Court of Cassation has issued a final verdict in a fake apartment fraud case that targeted expatriate students and their families, sentencing a Kuwaiti businesswoman to four years in prison and a fine of 1.152 million Kuwaiti dinars (over ₹31 crore). The court rejected the defendant’s final appeal and upheld the lower court’s ruling, making the judgment final and non-appealable.
The accused had allegedly promised accommodation near major UK universities to students travelling on scholarships and collected large advance payments from families. Investigations later revealed that the apartments did not exist and the offers were fraudulent. Authorities also found that an Egyptian accomplice involved in the scam had fled the country.
While the criminal court initially convicted the woman, she was later acquitted by the appeals court. However, the highest court overturned that acquittal, confirmed her guilt and ordered the sentence to be enforced, bringing the high-profile fraud case to a close.
