Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy Secures Landmark Victory in Cross-Border Criminal Dispute Involving Fraudulent Real Estate Transactions
The leading full-service MENA (Middle East and North Africa) law firm, Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy (“MBH”) is proud to announce a significant achievement by its Litigation team, securing a landmark victory in a complex cross-border criminal dispute involving asset exposure exceeding EGP 1 billion.
Case Background
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy represented one of Lebanon’s most prominent families in a multi-jurisdictional matter arising from a series of fraudulent transactions targeting extensive landholdings across Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan. Investigations uncovered a sophisticated scheme involving the forgery of multiple powers of attorney, which were unlawfully used to facilitate the sale and disposal of key real estate assets in both Egypt and Lebanon.
Proceedings and Legal Action
Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy was engaged at a critical stage of the dispute and promptly undertook a comprehensive legal and factual assessment. Upon identifying strong evidence of criminal conduct, the team initiated coordinated legal action, including the filing of criminal complaints and submission of extensive evidentiary records before the Public Prosecution.
Over a two-year period, the team led all aspects of the proceedings before the Public Prosecution, including drafting detailed submissions, attending investigative sessions, and strengthening legal arguments supported by documentary evidence. These efforts ultimately resulted in the referral of the principal perpetrator to trial before the competent Felony Criminal Court.
Judgment
In a decisive outcome, the court convicted the defendant for forging official documents and unlawfully using them, sentencing him to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment. The judgment marks a strong affirmation of criminal liability in cases involving sophisticated cross-border fraud.
Team
The matter was handled by the Matouk Bassiouny & Hennawy Litigation team led by Dr. Mohamed S. (Partner and Head of Litigation & TMT), Reda Morsy (Legal Director), Eslam Abdeldayem (Counsel), Ayman Sedik (Legal Director for Criminal Enforcement & Intelligence), Mahmoud Ghanem (Senior Associate), Hamada Farahat Abou Yossef (Senior Associate), and Mohammed Hanafy (Associate).
Conclusion
This landmark judgment reinforces the judiciary’s strict stance against sophisticated fraud schemes and highlights the effectiveness of coordinated cross-border criminal enforcement strategies in protecting high-value assets and upholding the rule of law.
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