Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A Saudi court has sentenced an organized crime group of 11 defendants — eight Saudis and three Sudanese nationals — to a combined 155 years in prison after convicting them of large-scale fraud, robbery, forgery, unlawful detention and money laundering.

According to information obtained exclusively by Okaz, the court ruled to commute the death penalty and impose prison terms based on the roles of each defendant, citing the absence of legal grounds for capital punishment.

The verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeal and has become final.

The criminal network was found guilty of orchestrating sophisticated fraud schemes that resulted in the theft of nearly SR40 million through deception, forged property deeds, fake real estate transactions, abuse of trust and financial scams.

The group also used handcuffs and a firearm to detain victims and forcibly obtain bank checks.

Investigators said the ring was led by a businessman, assisted by his misyar wife — a hairdresser — and several accomplices. Victims included a former national football team supervisor, a blind woman, an honorary member of a major Saudi football club, a Saudi poet, and other individuals.

Court records show the defendants lured victims with fake property sales using forged title deeds.

In one case, the gang stole a bank check from a football club honorary member while he was praying.

In another, they defrauded a former national team official of SR12 million and seized SR6 million from a blind woman.

The leader of the group rented a seaside chalet for SR1 million annually to project the image of wealth, used luxury vehicles and premium phone numbers, and relied on real estate brokerage offices to facilitate the scams.

In one incident, a real estate broker was detained inside the chalet, blindfolded, handcuffed and threatened with a firearm until a bank check was issued and cashed.

Prosecutors presented nearly 250 pieces of evidence, including digital records, confessions and financial documents. Investigations revealed that the ringleader was a repeat offender with a criminal record and multiple outstanding arrest warrants.

The misyar wife told the court she had been used to cover up crimes including fraud and drug possession.

Prosecutors also detailed cases in which the gang convinced a blind woman to issue powers of attorney, enabling them to seize her assets, and forcibly obtained a SR5 million check at gunpoint while detaining the victim for several hours.

The court sentenced the gang leader to 25 years in prison and imposed a 25-year travel ban. His misyar wife received a 13-year sentence, a matching travel ban, and a SR100,000 fine.

One Sudanese resident was sentenced to 18 years in prison and deportation for participating in unlawful detention, electric torture and money laundering.

Other defendants received prison terms ranging from eight to 18 years, fines of SR100,000, travel bans, and deportation orders for non-Saudi nationals.

A government employee involved in the crimes was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while the ringleader’s sister received a 12-year sentence, a travel ban and a fine after being convicted of money laundering and fraud.

The court also ordered the confiscation of all seized funds, mobile devices, SIM cards used in the crimes, equivalent assets linked to money laundering, and the firearm used by the gang.