In a landmark ruling, a Kuwaiti court has sentenced a man to 11 years in prison with hard labor and imposed a fine of KD 5,000 for operating multiple fake social media accounts to spread rumors and insult citizens. A second defendant was also handed a one-year prison sentence and fined KD 2,000 for his role in the scheme.
The case came to light after authorities received intelligence that the primary suspect was managing 16 fake accounts used to disseminate false news, circulate malicious rumors, and defame several citizens in exchange for money. Security teams launched a covert operation, tracking the suspect’s movements and apprehending him at a shopping mall.
During the investigation, the defendant confessed to running the fake accounts, and authorities seized multiple mobile phones allegedly used to operate the accounts and coordinate the activities. It was further revealed that the convicted man collaborated with a second suspect of foreign nationality who resides outside the country, and the two reportedly managed the fake accounts jointly, receiving payments in return for publishing defamatory content and fabricated reports.
The ruling sends a strong message that the Kuwaiti authorities will not tolerate the exploitation of digital platforms to harm others, and that online misconduct carries serious legal consequences.
Source: Arab Times
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