KUWAIT CITY, Dec 16: An illegal resident (Bedoun) in the country was arrested for fraud after defrauding a woman out of KD 15,000 by impersonating a ruling family member and manipulating her into handing over large sums of money and gifts. It was discovered later by police that he had swindled many other women too. The man used his charm and false identity to deceive his victim for several months. The woman, born in 1996, met him in May 2023 at a famous upscale complex. He introduced himself as “Sheikh M.Kh.” and showed her pictures of himself participating in high-profile events, claiming that he was part of the ruling family.

Their relationship continued to develop over the following months. He told her he owned a property in Mangaf and had purchased another in Abdullah Al-Salem, but that he was currently facing financial difficulties due to defaults on the properties. Claiming that he urgently needed KD 7,500 to resolve the issue, he convinced her to lend him the money, promising to repay her later. She handed him the money in the parking lot of a well-known hotel. However, this was just the beginning. Over the next year, he continued to ask her for money, convincing her that it was needed for his property dealings. In July 2023, he asked for another KD 2,500 to help with the property in Mangaf, which she gave him. In August, he requested an additional KD 500, claiming it was for financial issues related to the same property.

Again, she complied. As time went on, his demands continued. In November 2023, he asked for KD 1,500, followed by KD 500 in December. In January and May of 2024, he asked her for KD 1,000 on both occasions, always assuring her that he would compensate her once they married. Throughout this time, he continued to tell her that he was committed to marrying her, which led her to believe that he would repay her once their relationship progressed. In September 2024, his requests escalated when he asked her for an iPhone 16 as a gift. Once again, she complied, purchasing the phone and handing it over to him. However, the woman’s world was turned upside down in October 2024 when she received an unexpected call from the Andalous Police Station. She was asked to visit, as the police had identified her as one of the man’s victims. Shocked, she arrived at the station to discover that the man she had trusted was not a ruling family member, as he had claimed, but an illegal resident in the country.