Cairo, Egypt – Egyptian investigative authorities have referred six defendants to criminal court. They have also been placed on travel ban lists and their assets frozen in connection with a case involving an online gang specializing in selling counterfeit antiquities and defrauding citizens.
Investigations revealed that the defendants successfully deceived their victims and embezzled approximately one million US dollars. This was accomplished by selling counterfeit artifacts and misleading citizens into believing they were genuine.
The referral decision came after a successful security operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspects. Large quantities of counterfeit currency were seized, along with sophisticated equipment used in the fraud. This equipment included electronic underground detection devices, mobile phones, and electrical wiring.
The investigation revealed that the gang used sophisticated deception techniques. These included sending videos showing a supposed tomb containing rare artifacts, then contacting victims to suggest they participate in trafficking them. These methods enabled the group to steal the large sum of money.
The head of the committee tasked with examining the seized artifacts, and the Director General of the General Administration of Seized Artifacts, appointed by the Supreme Council of Antiquities, confirmed that the seized pieces were “modernly made from modern materials and metal oxides.” He clarified that they do not date back to the Pharaonic or Islamic periods. Furthermore, the statues constitute “poor imitations” lacking anatomical proportions and authentic artistic features. Meanwhile, the ingot-like pieces are made of thin metal and are not subject to the Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983.
This case comes amid growing challenges related to antiquities forgery in Egypt. The Supreme Council of Antiquities seized more than 5,000 counterfeit artifacts in 2024, mostly in tourist areas such as Khan el-Khalili, Luxor, and Aswan. Egyptian law punishes trafficking in genuine antiquities with life imprisonment. In contrast, trafficking in counterfeit artifacts is punishable as fraud, making cybercrime an ideal tool for fraudsters to exploit legal loopholes.
