Egyptian TV personality Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in synthetic drug case
Egyptian court sentenced TV host Sarah Khalifa and 11 others to death for involvement in a synthetic drug trafficking network, while nine received life terms and seven were acquitted.
A court in Egypt sentenced television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 co-defendants to death by hanging after finding them guilty of forming an organized criminal group that manufactured and trafficked synthetic narcotics. Khalifa, who also runs a beauty clinic and has a large social-media following, was arrested in Cairo in April 2025 as part of a broader investigation that involved 28 suspects.
According to state-affiliated media Ahram Online, the prosecution presented testimony from 20 witnesses and digital evidence such as messages, photographs and videos to support the charges of drug production, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and the use of a residential property for storage and manufacturing. Authorities seized more than 750 kilograms (about 1,653 pounds) of synthetic drugs and raw materials.
The court handed death sentences to twelve defendants, imposed life imprisonment on nine, and acquitted seven. Asset freezes and precautionary measures on bank accounts were also ordered, and those already detained remain in custody.
"The group operated like a production and distribution network, with members assigned specific roles," prosecutors said.