Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Public Prosecution has sentenced 17 defendants, including citizens and residents, to 91 years in prison after it was proved that they had committed an organized criminal formation of two crimes, an official source in the Public Prosecution announced.

The official source said that specialized investigations proved that the criminals committed the crime of covering-up "Tasattur" and money laundering.

The criminals committed a crime with the participation of male and female citizens in this regard to extract commercial records, in addition to opening bank accounts, and handing over ATM cards to the other accused, who were found to be of Arab nationalities, in return for a monthly salary.

The official source said that the criminals deposited the money they obtained illegally in the bank accounts they opened, and then transferred them outside the country.

The Public Prosecution procedures that were implemented by the specialized team in economic crimes resulted in the issuance of a preliminary ruling by the competent court convicting the defendants of what was attributed to them with several penalties, which are:

1 - Criminals were sentenced to prison terms of varying length, totaling 91 years.

2 - A penalty of confiscation of what is equivalent to the value of the money in the laundering operations carried out by criminals, which it is said to an amount exceeding to about SR1,745,000,000.

3 - A penalty of confiscation of the cash that was seized in the possession of the accused, which is “the proceeds of the crime of laundering”, and it amounted to approximately SR1,800,000.

4 - A penalty of confiscation of the funds that are seized in the bank accounts of commercial entities, which amounted to about SR1,599,000.

5 - Punishing criminals by confiscating the proceeds of the crime, which included several items from vehicles to electronic devices.

6 - Punishing the criminals with fine penalties amounting to SR800,600,000.

7 - Preventing the accused Saudi citizens from traveling for a period similar to the length of their prison sentence.

8 - Deportation of the accused residents from Saudi Arabia after the end of their sentences.

9 - Liquidation and write-off of the commercial activities.

The official source affirmed that the Public Prosecution always continues its endeavor to combat financial crimes in all its forms and types, indicating its determination to document ways to preserve Saudi Arabia's gains and economy.

He also warned that the Public Prosecution in the Kingdom would not hesitate to file a severe criminal case against those who try to commit financial crimes in all its forms, or whoever undermines the strength of the economic security of Saudi Arabia.