Embezzlement convicts jailed for money laundering

TDT | Manama

The High Criminal Court yesterday sentenced two private sector employees to five years in jail and fined them BD5,000 each after finding them guilty of money laundering. Announcing the verdict was Chief Prosecutor Ahmed Al Qurashi, who explained that the court also ordered to confiscate the embezzled amounts and any money owned by the defendants equal to the money they stole, in addition to deportation.

Al Qurashi said the duo, who work together at a tourism company, were already convicted of embezzlement and the money laundering charge was discovered when the Public Prosecution traced the amounts they stole from the company.

Clarifying further, Al Qurashi said the defendants have completed transactions using the stolen money with the intent of conveying that it is from legitimate sources, adding that these operations included deposits, withdrawals and remittances.

“When confronted in the interrogation, one of the defendants confessed to the crime and his co-defendant’s assisting role in the crime. The prosecution referred the case to the concerned court, which issued the aforementioned verdict,” the Chief Prosecutor added.