A man in Egypt who allegedly posed as a judge has told investigators he learned how to carry out the deception from TikTok, according to a report by the Egyptian outlet اليوم السابع (Youm7). The suspect reportedly admitted to impersonating a judicial adviser during his interrogation.
The case has drawn widespread attention in Egypt, with multiple outlets covering the arrest. According to بوابة الشروق (Shorouk Gate), the suspect's brother said that before the incident, the man sometimes lacked even enough money for train fare. The brother's comments paint a picture of a person who was struggling financially prior to the alleged crime.
Other reports detail the scope of the scheme. العربية (Al Arabiya) reported that the suspect went as far as renting a hall to stage his fake judicial role, and noted that a new legal decision has been issued in the case. Meanwhile, المصري اليوم (Al-Masry Al-Youm) spoke with one alleged victim, who said the suspect tricked him under the guise of charity work and claimed to have been in an accident to steal his money.
The case has also prompted commentary in the Egyptian press about the broader phenomenon of identity theft. الأهرام (Ahram Online) published a piece examining whether such impersonation is a form of fraud or a symptom of psychological delusion.
Authorities have not released a full timeline of the investigation, and it remains unclear when the suspect's next court hearing will take place. The case continues to raise questions about how social media content can influence criminal behavior, a point that investigators are likely to examine further as the legal process moves forward.
