Man Sentenced to Six Years for Defrauding Citizenship Applicants

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

The Lower Criminal Court has sentenced a Bahraini man to six years imprisonment for defrauding multiple individuals seeking Bahraini citizenship.

The court heard that the Bahraini man had falsely claimed on social media platforms that he had influence over the citizenship application process and could guarantee approval in exchange for money. He contacted prospective victims, purporting to have insider knowledge and connections within the relevant government departments.

Through text conversations and video calls, the man misled several people into believing he was an official who could expedite their citizenship requests. He provided fabricated documentation and correspondence to support his deception.

In total, the victims transferred over 370,000 Bahraini dinars to the man, with promises their applications would be approved. However, they later discovered he had no ability to influence the legal process.

When complaints were made to authorities, a full investigation was launched by the Anti-Financial Crimes Department. Technical evidence retrieved from the man's devices confirmed he had engaged in an elaborate ruse to systematically defraud hopeful victims.

The Public Prosecution brought charges of impersonating a public official, money laundering, and cybercrimes against the man. In delivering its verdict, the court described his actions as "a serious abuse of trust that undermined the integrity of Bahrain's citizenship system."

The six year sentence was said to reflect the gravity and premeditated nature of the crimes, which impacted multiple victims over an extended period. It serves as a warning that fraudulent practices targeting citizenship will be dealt with firmly under the law.