Egypt arrests suspects in fake judge scam

Egyptian authorities have arrested several people over an alleged scheme in which individuals impersonated judges to defraud citizens of money. The Interior Ministry said the plot involved staged courtroom scenes and a person posing as a judge on social media.

According to the ministry, the main suspects, an unemployed man and a student residing in Cairo and Giza, have been detained. They reportedly confessed to running a criminal gang that took money from people by falsely claiming they could secure housing through government agencies. The suspects also admitted to staging fake court proceedings with the help of others.

The state-run newspaper al-Ahram reported that several people believed to be involved were detained and referred for an expedited criminal trial. The case came to light after authorities investigated a complaint from a man who said he had been defrauded by someone presenting himself as a judge.

Police arrested the main suspect and seized a firearm, a judicial sash and identity cards bearing a fake judicial title, according to the newspaper. He is said to have admitted to filming photos and videos inside a courthouse while wearing the sash to boost his credibility.

The second main suspect reportedly confessed to taking part in filming and publishing the material while claiming on social media to be a judge. Court employees were also detained and questioned. They said the main suspect had told them he worked for one of Egypt's judicial authorities.