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Egypt: Fake judges arrested after massive housing scam

Egypt: Fake judges arrested after massive housing scam
Egypt: Fake judges arrested after massive housing scam

Several people have been arrested in Egypt for impersonating judges to extort money from individuals. The Interior Ministry confirmed the involvement of a gang that fabricated fake courtroom scenes.

The case began with a complaint: a man claimed to have been defrauded by an individual posing as a judge. Authorities launched an investigation, which quickly led to the arrest of the main suspect in Cairo.

During the search, police seized a firearm, a judicial sash, and identity cards bearing a forged title of magistrate. The man admitted to going to a courthouse, wearing the official sash, to film photos and videos intended to bolster his credibility with his victims.

The Interior Ministry stated that the two main suspects, an unemployed man and a student residing in Cairo and Giza respectively, confessed to forming a criminal gang. Their method: promising citizens the allocation of social housing through government agencies in exchange for payment of money.

The second suspect admitted to participating in staging the mock trials and disseminating the images on social media, where he also presented himself as a judge. Several court employees were also arrested and questioned. They stated that the main suspect had claimed to work for one of the Egyptian judicial authorities.

The state-run newspaper Al-Ahram reports that all identified suspects have been brought before a criminal court for expedited trial.

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