Kuwait’s Criminal Investigation Department, represented by the Capital Investigation Department, has arrested the owner of a recruitment company in the governorate over allegations of fraud against expatriates.

The suspect allegedly promised workers attractive employment opportunities in European countries and offered to arrange work visas in exchange for substantial payments.

The case came to light after around 25 expatriates, most of them from Asian nationalities, reported the matter at a police station in the Capital Governorate.

According to their statements, they had seen an advertisement from a company offering employment opportunities in European countries before meeting its owner.

The company owner allegedly claimed that he could secure jobs and work visas for them in exchange for payments ranging from KWD 2,000 to KWD 2,500, depending on their qualifications, provided they held valid passports and residency permits in Kuwait.

The complainants said they signed contracts promising employment opportunities and the completion of their visa procedures within a limited period.

However, after waiting for the promised arrangements to materialise, they repeatedly visited the company without receiving clear answers about the progress of their applications.

They were eventually told not to visit the company again and were assured that they would be contacted if the contracts became available.

When they requested refunds, they were reportedly told that their payments had already been spent on visa procedures.

Following the complaints, criminal investigators conducted the necessary inquiries and confirmed the validity of the complainants’ statements and the alleged fraud.

Investigators contacted the company owner and asked him to appear, but he reportedly refused. The investigators then coordinated with the Public Prosecution, which ordered his arrest. A Capital Investigation Department team subsequently apprehended the suspect and brought him in for questioning over the allegations.

During questioning, the suspect admitted receiving money from the expatriates and said he had been working to secure employment opportunities for them but needed additional time to complete the process.

When asked whether he could return the money he had received, he reportedly said that doing so would be difficult. The source did not clarify whether the suspect held an official licence to operate a recruitment business.

The case serves as an important warning to expatriates in Kuwait to exercise extreme caution when responding to overseas job offers, particularly those requiring large upfront payments, and to verify the legitimacy of the recruiting company and all official procedures before handing over money, personal information or documents.