A wealthy individual in Tangier was the victim of a sophisticated fraud carried out by a gang claiming ties to the royal family, judiciary, and senior officials. However, he “ultimately decided to pardon all involved” except for one cleric.
### What Happened?
The Tangier Criminal Court issued prison sentences against a “criminal organization” that targeted affluent individuals and businesspeople to seize their wealth. The gang members claimed to be connected to the royal family, judiciary, and high-ranking officials.
According to the ruling, the mastermind, Ahmed A., received a seven-year sentence, while Abdul Ali H., the son of a former parliamentarian, was sentenced to five years. Ibrahim B. and Bashir B., a former photographer for the Ministry of Justice, received three-year sentences. All of them were convicted and sentenced to prison, though “the wealthy individual decided to pardon them all.”
The victim, Abdessalam A., did not, however, pardon the cleric, Hussein Z., who received a six-year sentence and was ordered to pay 100,000 dirhams in compensation to the wealthy man.
### Fraud Details
The gang was apprehended following a complaint from the victim, who reported being defrauded in the sale of a piece of land containing a “great treasure.”
The mastermind, originally from Khénifra, deceived the victim by portraying himself as a “wealthy” person helping the poor and building mosques while claiming significant influence, even stating he was close to the royal family. These claims quickly ensnared the wealthy individual, leading him to spend substantial sums for the land.
The gang did not stop there; they convinced the victim that the land was haunted and required a cleric to expel the spirits guarding the “great treasure.” The cleric, Hussein, was brought in, and they proceeded to the land in question.
According to the case file, the gang hired individuals to impersonate “spirits” to scare the businessman, leading him to ultimately realize he was a “victim of a major scam” and would never obtain the “land” despite the amount he paid.
### Money Laundering Allegations
The gang leader denied the charges and fraud claims, presenting an entirely different narrative. He stated that the “victim” and other businessmen trusted him and that they merely deposited money with him, to be returned with interest.
In this case, the defendant claimed to have received 5.5 billion centimes for investment before returning it to its owner with interest, with “trust” being the sole guarantee, while he received 2 billion for the land.
### Impersonation Charges
The accused resorted to impersonation in this case; the former photographer for the Minister of Justice was accused of pretending to be the public prosecutor, another was accused of imitating a “notary,” and another claimed to be “close to the king.” However, they all denied these accusations in court.
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