52 Fake Firms. 138 Work Permits. 5 Guilty

The Second Minor Criminal Court has sentenced five individuals in a high-profile case involving the misuse of work permits, following an investigation by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA).

According to the Public Prosecution’s statement, three of the defendants — all of Asian nationality — were sentenced to three months in prison and ordered to be deported from the Kingdom of Bahrain after serving their sentences. In addition, all five were collectively fined a total of BHD 138,000 for unlawfully retaining work permits without legitimate need.

The case originated from LMRA’s inspection reports, which revealed a major violation: 50 commercial registrations were issued under a single address, raising suspicions of fraudulent activity. Further investigations uncovered that one suspect had registered two additional businesses under different locations, bringing the total number to 52 commercial records, all linked to fictitious companies with no real operations.

Using these fake entities, the defendants obtained 138 work permits, which they kept without utilizing or assigning to actual employees. Coordinated efforts between LMRA and the Criminal Investigation and Forensic Evidence Directorate led to the arrest of three suspects, while two others remain at large.

Upon receiving the case, the Public Prosecution swiftly launched an inquiry, questioning the arrested individuals, summoning witnesses, and issuing arrest warrants for the absconding suspects. After reviewing the evidence and testimonies, the case was referred to the competent criminal court, which has now delivered its verdict — reinforcing Bahrain’s firm stance against illegal labour practices and fraudulent business activities.