Brother Listed as Son, Syrians Added as Children: DNA Exposes Kuwait Citizenship Fraud

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 12: In a major citizenship fraud case involving false family records, DNA testing and concealed identities, Kuwait's Higher Committee for Citizenship Investigation has decided to revoke the citizenship of a naturalized Kuwaiti man, his 15 biological children, three individuals fraudulently registered as his children, and their respective dependents.

The case exposed an elaborate scheme in which the naturalized citizen allegedly registered his own brother as his son, alongside two Syrian nationals — a man and a woman — as his children, despite DNA evidence establishing that none of the three was biologically related to his 15 genuine children.

According to details published by Al-Rai, the decision followed investigations by the Citizenship Investigation Department, DNA examinations and efforts to trace the actual family relationships of those registered on the man's citizenship file.

The citizenship revocation extends to 87 dependents of his 15 biological children, in addition to the dependents linked to the three fraudulently registered individuals.

Investigations established that the naturalized citizen, identified as “M”, had registered his biological brother, identified as “A”, as his son.

DNA testing confirmed that the two were actually brothers, although “A” had been entered in the citizenship records as the man's son.

The brother's citizenship file included 13 dependents, who were also covered by the revocation decision.

The second case involved a Syrian man identified as “K”, whose actual name differed from the one recorded in Kuwait's citizenship documents.

Investigators traced his identity and identified two biological brothers, Syrian nationals residing in Kuwait, identified as “Y” and “N”.

All three were apprehended and subjected to DNA testing, which confirmed that they were full brothers, despite two being officially registered as Syrian nationals and “K” being listed as a Kuwaiti citizen and son of “M”.

The Syrian man's citizenship file carried seven dependents, who were also included in the revocation decision.

The third individual, a woman identified as “F”, had also been registered as a daughter of “M”.

Investigations established that she was actually Syrian and had a Syrian brother, identified as “D”, living in Kuwait.

DNA testing confirmed their biological relationship, exposing her actual family identity despite her registration as a Kuwaiti citizen and daughter of “M”.

Her case also led investigators to her husband, identified as “H”, who had previously lost his Kuwaiti citizenship in 2020 after being found to have obtained it fraudulently despite being Syrian.

Her husband had previously lost his Kuwaiti citizenship in 2020 after authorities established that he was Syrian and had obtained citizenship through fraud.

He was referred to the Public Prosecution, and the Court of Cassation issued a final judgment sentencing him to seven years in prison. However, he remained at large after the judgment was issued in 2021.

The investigation also led to the arrest of “H”, who had remained in hiding for nearly six years.

According to informed sources cited by Al-Rai, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef ordered intensified efforts to locate and arrest him after learning that he was wanted under a final seven-year prison sentence.

The Execution Investigations Department, working in coordination with the Citizenship Investigation Department, tracked him down and arrested him within just 24 hours of receiving the directive.

He is now in custody to serve his prison sentence, while his wife “F” is also being held in connection with her fraudulent registration on the naturalized citizen's citizenship file.

DNA tests clear the identities of 15 biological children

Investigations extended beyond the three individuals fraudulently registered on “M's” file.

Authorities summoned his 15 biological children — sons and daughters — and conducted DNA examinations to establish whether any of the three individuals was related to them.

The results conclusively ruled out any biological relationship between the three falsely registered individuals and the 15 genuine children, from both the paternal and maternal sides.

The tests also confirmed that all 15 genuine children were full siblings, sharing the same father and mother.

After reviewing the investigations, DNA findings and supporting evidence, the Higher Committee for Citizenship Investigation decided to revoke the Kuwaiti citizenship of the naturalized man himself.

The decision also covered:

The case highlights how DNA testing and investigations into family records uncovered multiple false identities and a network of citizenship registrations extending across several family branches.