Muhammad Bashar Kiwan

Muhammad Bashar Kiwan
محمد بشار كيوان
Born (1966-11-30) November 30, 1966 (age 57)
Kuwait
NationalitySyrian
Other namesBashar Kiwan, Bachar Kiwan
CitizenshipSyria - France
Alma materUniversity of Montpellier
Known forCriminal fraud, Comoros passport sales scandal, Assad regime propaganda, AWI Group, United Group (UG), Al Waseet
Criminal charges
Criminal penaltyTotal of 37 years in prison across multiple cases and jurisdictions[1]
Criminal statusFugitive
SpouseAngelique Kiwan
ChildrenJad Kiwan
RelativesAshraf Kiwan (brother)

Muhammad Bashar Kiwan (Arabic: محمد بشار كيوان; born November 30, 1966), known as Bachar Kiwan, is a Syrian-French convicted felon, fraudster, and international fugitive. He is sought by the authorities in the Comoros Islands for his criminal convictions, which include money laundering, fraud, and embezzlement of public funds stemming from his role in masterminding the Comoros passport sales scandal. Additionally, he has been convicted in Kuwait of various white-collar crimes, including money laundering, criminal fraud, forgery, and bribery.[2][3][4][5][6]

Formerly a businessman, Kiwan was also a propagandist for the Assad regime, owning and operating media companies in the Arab world that served as the propaganda arm of the Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad.[7][8][9][10] His former positions include chairman of the Syrian Business Council in Kuwait, Honorary Consul of Comoros in Kuwait, and member of the Syrian-Iranian Business Council.[3][11][12][1]

  1. ^ a b "Comoros Ex-president Sambi Jailed For Life For 'High Treason'". AFP News.
  2. ^ Solomon, Daniel (2015-11-12). "No Country for Rich Men". The New Republic. ISSN 0028-6583. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. ^ a b Abrahamian, Atossa Araxia (2015-11-11). "The bizarre scheme to transform a remote island into the new Dubai | Atossa Araxia Abrahamian". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  4. ^ "Comoros ex-presidents embroiled in passport sale scandal". France 24. 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  5. ^ Desk, GDN Online (5 December 2017). "Kuwait: Three suspects arrested for helping convicted businessman flee the country". www.gdnonline.com. Retrieved 2021-03-25. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ "Trucker's jail term upheld for smuggling out wanted businessman". ARAB TIMES - KUWAIT NEWS. 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  7. ^ Jad, Abdulrahman. "تعريف بجريدة الوسيط : اقرأ - السوق المفتوح". read.opensooq.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  8. ^ "رئيس مجلس الأعمال السوري الكويتي بشار كيوان يشتري أسهم الـ". B2B-SY (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :32 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Eddin, Chams (2013). The Assad Regime's Propaganda: Manipulation Through Messaging at the Beginning of tor Arab Spring Uprising in Syria (Thesis thesis). Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University.
  11. ^ "Significant Economic Cooperation Between The Syrian Regime and Iran During 2018-19". omranstudies.org. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  12. ^ "Passports to paradise". politico.eu. 8 November 2015.