KUWAIT CITY, June 20: The General Department of Nationality Investigations in Kuwait has exposed an elaborate case of identity fraud dating back to 2011, involving a Gulf national who illegally acquired Kuwaiti citizenship and manipulated official records to include fictitious family members.

According to investigation records, the individual initially left several entries in the "children" section of his citizenship application blank, which he later used to fraudulently add the names of three Yemeni nationals. These individuals, who were merely seeking employment and residency in Kuwait, were approached by the suspect with the offer to be added to his citizenship file as a faster alternative to legal work visas.

In 2012, the Nationality Investigation Department received precise intelligence about the forgery and launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of the three Yemenis. They were prosecuted, sentenced to prison, and subsequently deported. During interrogations, they confirmed that they had never intended to apply for Kuwaiti citizenship but were persuaded by the suspect to accept this method to remain in the country legally.

Meanwhile, the accused fled Kuwait in early 2011 as suspicions against him mounted. He has not returned since. Despite his absence, authorities continued their investigation and, through coordination with Gulf Interpol, obtained his biometric data, including ten fingerprints. This data confirmed his true identity and nationality, which did not match the name on his Kuwaiti citizenship records.

Further inquiries revealed significant inconsistencies. While the suspect's legitimate family in his country of origin numbered only 14 members, records in Kuwait showed 41 children listed under his name. Investigators concluded that at least 25 of those names had been added fraudulently. Moreover, his real name, as provided by Gulf authorities, was entirely different from the one used in his Kuwaiti documentation.

The scope of the forgery extended far beyond the initial three Yemenis. In total, 83 individuals—including the forger, his actual and fake children, and their descendants—benefited from the fabricated citizenship records. These individuals had access to the full range of benefits afforded to Kuwaiti nationals, raising significant concerns about national security and misuse of state resources.

In light of the overwhelming evidence, Kuwaiti authorities issued a final ruling to revoke the citizenship of the forger and all 83 individuals linked to the fraudulent entries. The case underscores the government’s ongoing efforts to preserve the integrity of Kuwaiti nationality records and prevent the exploitation of legal loopholes.