KUWAIT: A retired senior security official is at the center of a major scandal in Kuwait after an investigation revealed that he fraudulently obtained Kuwaiti citizenship as a child. The official, originally of Syrian descent, was added to the citizenship records of a Kuwaiti citizen at the age of 10.

The fraud extended to his father, also a Syrian who later became a Saudi citizen, and other relatives, according to a security source. Exploiting his position, the officer allegedly facilitated the recruitment of his sons into sensitive government roles, compromising the integrity of key institutions.

The investigation, which included DNA evidence and a review of residential records, led the Supreme Committee to revoke citizenship for 24 individuals, including the officer, his three sons, and other accomplices.

Initial suspicions were raised by the Nationality Investigations Department in 2016.