In a case that has brought to the forefront the dangers of organized cybercrime exploiting humanitarian work, Kuwaiti citizen Yousef Issa Saad Al-Ali is facing a complex extortion scheme that has resulted in losses exceeding $950,000, amid accusations of serious violations and tampering with evidence in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
The case began in September 2024 when Al-Ali received a call from someone impersonating a Kuwaiti citizen named Dr. Khaled Al-Baloushi, claiming he urgently needed funds for surgery. With the involvement of other parties, the victim was lured into a elaborate scheme involving a fictitious medical trip to Syria.
Events unfolded after the liberation in 2025, with Al-Balushi allegedly suffering a stroke and being transferred to a French hospital. This led to a series of requests for money transfers under various pretexts from individuals claiming to be the patient's family.
The gang didn't stop there. They resorted to a deceptive scheme that included claiming Al-Balushi had been kidnapped by ISIS and then by the SDF, demanding ransoms and ultimately stealing his digital identity.
Following the Syrian judiciary's intervention and the arrest of three key suspects—Malak Muhi Al-Balu, her sister Nada, and her husband Muhammad Ahmad Abdul Rahman—the investigation took a dangerous turn with the disappearance of crucial physical evidence: a CD and a memory stick containing audio recordings documenting the extortion.
The loss of this evidence led to a controversial decision by the Second Investigating Judge in Rural Damascus, who amended the charge to "network fraud."
The kidnapping for ransom charge was dropped, and fourteen individuals accused of receiving the money transfers were dismissed.
Faced with this reality, the Kuwaiti citizen made an urgent appeal to the Ministries of Justice and Interior in Syria through diplomatic channels, demanding a comprehensive reinvestigation, the exposure of all hidden hands, an investigation into the loss of evidence, and the full recovery of financial rights.
Zaman Al Wasl
Comments About This Article
Please fill the fields below.