مصر: القبض على «بلوغر» شهير بتهمة «غسل الأموال» والاتجار بالمخدرات

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced yesterday (Monday) the arrest of the famous "blogger" known as "Otaka," the fiancé of content creator Hadeer Abdelrazek, on charges related to money laundering amounting to 12 million Egyptian pounds and promoting video clips that violate societal values.

The accused, who resides in Giza Governorate and has a criminal record, was apprehended as part of an intensive security campaign targeting social media celebrities involved in illegal activities.

According to the Ministry of Interior's statement, "Otaka" created a page on social media to publish video clips containing content that violates public morals and the values of Egyptian society, aiming to increase viewership and achieve illegal profits.

The accused also used these profits to purchase real estate and vehicles totaling 12 million Egyptian pounds, in an attempt to conceal the sources of the illegal funds and legitimize them through fictitious transactions.

Investigations conducted by the Anti-Narcotics and Unlicensed Weapons and Ammunition Sector, in coordination with the relevant ministry agencies, revealed "Otaka's" involvement in other criminal activities, including drug trafficking.

During the arrest operation, he was found in possession of narcotic substances and electronic devices used to manage his social media accounts, which attract thousands of young followers.

This operation is part of a series of security efforts led by the Egyptian authorities to combat money laundering, as investigations have revealed the involvement of several social media celebrities in exploiting their fame to achieve illegal gains through fictitious advertisements, the establishment of shell companies, and misleading marketing deals.

The Economic and Money Laundering Prosecution has initiated investigations with ten other celebrity suspects who were arrested in similar cases, and some of them were found in possession of unlicensed firearms.