Popular Egyptian television presenter and social media influencer Sarah Khalifa, 39, has been sentenced to death by hanging by the Cairo Criminal Court over her alleged involvement in a major synthetic drug trafficking operation.
Khalifa, a former presenter of the Egyptian crime programme Mission Impossible, was handed the death sentence on Saturday, September 5, alongside 11 other defendants in the case.
She has consistently denied the allegations against her.
According to reports from Egyptian state media, the court found the defendants guilty of forming an organised criminal group involved in obtaining raw materials used to manufacture synthetic drugs and storing finished narcotics in residential properties for trafficking.
Authorities reportedly seized more than 750 kilograms of synthetic drugs and raw materials, as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition, during the investigation.
Khalifa was arrested in Cairo in April 2025. During questioning, she reportedly denied using drugs and told investigators that she had never smoked a cigarette.
The television personality also reportedly became emotional during the court proceedings and appealed to the judge, insisting that she had been raised by religious parents and had no reason to become involved in the drug trade.
A total of 28 defendants were prosecuted in the case. While 12, including Khalifa, received death sentences, nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment and seven were acquitted.
Before issuing the death sentences, the court referred the cases to Egypt's Grand Mufti for a religious opinion, a required step in Egyptian capital cases.
The death sentences are subject to appeal, meaning Khalifa has not been executed and the ruling could still be reviewed by a higher court.
Khalifa, who has more than two million followers across social media platforms, maintains her innocence.
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