Court imprisons and fines citizen for money laundering activities

Muscat: An Omani citizen was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of OMR 5,000 for money laundering in North Al Batinah Governorate.

The Court of Appeal in Sohar has issued a final ruling in a significant money laundering case, convicting Manar bint Saleh bin Marhoon, an Omani national, for her involvement in the crime of money laundering.

The Court sentenced the defendant to six months of imprisonment and imposed a fine of OMR 5,000. Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of all funds received through her bank account or their equivalent value. The judgement also mandates the publication of the judgement and requires the defendant to cover all legal expenses.

The ruling came after a thorough investigation by the Public Prosecution, which concluded that the defendant had collaborated with an unknown accomplice in laundering funds of illicit origin. The funds were identified as proceeds from fraudulent activities and unauthorised access to financial card data.

The investigation also revealed that the defendant had concealed the true nature of the funds to make it appear as legitimate funds by receiving them into her personal bank account, presenting them as her own, and subsequently transferring them to multiple accounts for the purchase of digital currencies. These actions facilitated the transfer of illegal funds outside the country.