For tax evasion ... Contractor Muhammad Ali was sentenced to 5 years in prison

The Cairo Criminal Court, headed by Chancellor Madbouly Kassab, sentenced - for a period of five years and a fine of fifty thousand pounds - to a businessman and representative residing in Spain, Mohamed Ali, on charges of tax evasion.

The court obliged Ali to pay to the Tax Authority 41 million and 879 thousand pounds (16.07 pounds = $ 1) the amount of value-added tax, and to compel him to pay the additional tax owed by him at the rate of 1.5% for each month or part thereof, from the date the original tax is due until the date of payment, and to compel it The value of the schedule tax is 5% of the above tax due.

It also obligated him to pay six million and 185 thousand pounds, the value of sales tax due for the period from October 2012 to September 7, 2016, and to compel him to pay the additional tax payable at 0.5% for each week or part thereof, from the date of the original tax due until the date of payment and his obligation For criminal expenses.

The public prosecutor referred the contractor on November 30 to the urgent criminal trial for "tax evasion".

The Public Prosecution investigations stated that the referral came after the end of the investigation, which was at the request of the Minister of Finance to refer Ali to the Public Prosecution, and was followed by the request to move the criminal prosecution, as he is registered and subject to the provisions of the General Sales Tax evading the payment of those taxes legally for his activity, as he submitted A service without acknowledging it and paying the tax due on time, by issuing invoices loaded with the sales tax if it is not registered.

The fugitive businessman has caused a scandal and anger in Egypt since he began releasing videos in early September, accusing President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and other high-ranking officials of corruption.

In light of the economic downturn and the government’s austerity measures, the contractor's leaks of the luxurious palaces built by Sisi with public funds were met with widespread anger.

Demonstrations occurred on the 20th and 27th of last September, which constituted the most important challenge to Sisi's rule in years.