Arabic version: مصر تعتقل مشتبهين في قضية احتيال مزعومة بانتحال صفة قضاة

According to BBC News, several people have been arrested in Egypt over an alleged scheme involving fake judges who allegedly defrauded people of money.

Egypt’s Ministry of Interior said the alleged scam involved fabricated court scenes and impersonating a judge on social media. The main suspects, an unemployed man and a student living in Cairo and Giza, were detained, the ministry said.

Upon questioning, the suspects confessed to forming a criminal gang that took money from citizens by falsely claiming it could allocate housing from government agencies, the ministry added. They are also said to have admitted staging fake court scenes with the help of others.

State-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported that several suspects believed to have participated were detained and referred for an expedited criminal trial. The investigation began after a man said he had been defrauded by someone falsely presenting himself as a judge.

Police seized a firearm, a judicial sash and identity cards bearing a fake judicial title after arresting the main suspect, al-Ahram said. The newspaper reported that court employees were also detained and questioned after saying the suspect had told them he worked for one of Egypt’s judicial authorities.