Several people have been arrested in Egypt over an alleged plot by fake judges to defraud citizens of their money, according to the country's Ministry of Interior.
The ministry said the suspects staged fake court sessions and impersonated judges on social media to deceive people. The main suspects, an unemployed man and a student residing in Cairo and Giza, have been detained. They confessed to forming a criminal gang that took money from citizens by falsely claiming they could allocate housing from government agencies.
They also admitted to staging fake court sessions with the help of others. State-owned newspaper al-Ahram reported that several suspects believed to have taken part in the plot were detained and referred for an expedited criminal trial.
The plot came to light when authorities launched an investigation after a man reported being defrauded by someone posing as a judge. The main suspect was arrested, and police seized a firearm, a judicial sash, and identity cards bearing his fake judicial title.
He confessed to filming photos and videos inside a courthouse while wearing the judicial sash to boost his credibility. The paper reported he was helped by a second suspect, with the assistance of several court employees. The second suspect confessed to participating in filming and publishing the images and videos while claiming on social media to be a judge. Court employees were also detained and questioned, stating that the main suspect had told them he worked for one of Egypt's judicial authorities.