Ted Maher

Ted Maher is an American former firefighter who was convicted of aggravated arson in Kuwait in 1998. Maher, who worked as a security guard at the Kuwaiti home of a prominent family, confessed to starting a fire at the residence in an attempt to be considered a hero and possibly gain financial compensation. The fire resulted in significant damage and one fatality. Maher's case garnered international attention and raised questions about the treatment of foreign workers in Kuwait. He was initially sentenced to death, but this was later reduced to life imprisonment, and he was eventually released in 2003.