Salma Al-Ghazouli, a popular fashion blogger with a significant social media presence, stands accused of defrauding over 2000 individuals, allegedly pocketing millions of Egyptian pounds after promising high returns on investments in clothing and cosmetics. Security forces, acting on a flood of complaints, arrested Al-Ghazouli along with four others, believed to be family members and associates.

Victims claim they were drawn in by promises of discounted products from major brands and lured into a sophisticated scam involving false investments and unfulfilled orders. The young blogger, a pharmacist by training, used her substantial online following to gain the trust of victims, many of whom are women and girls working in the clothing trade.

Who is Salma Al-Ghazouli?

Salma Al-Ghazouli is an Egyptian fashion blogger in her twenties, while not known personally, her blog has a major following, though their authenticity is questionable.

She ran a popular fashion page online and strategically purchased a page with a large following to increase her audience. Al-Ghazouli allegedly leveraged the pages of other famous Egyptian bloggers to advertise her products and services.

The Fraudulent Operations

Preliminary investigations suggest Al-Ghazouli operated a fraudulent scheme under the guise of importing clothes, allegedly accepting substantial sums of money through electronic payment channels. Authorities reported the total amount seized at 99 million Egyptian pounds ($3.2 million USD). As the case expands, questions intensify over the whereabouts of the missing funds.

Victims Demand Justice

A wave of outrage swept social media in response to the shocking accusations. Al-Ghazouli’s victims, some claiming to have lost significant sums of money, now demand justice and the recovery of their funds. Lawyers representing the victims point to the sheer scale of the operation, with some merchants reportedly losing millions of pounds.

Blogger Maintains Innocence

Though initially detained on substantial fraud charges, Al-Ghazouli’s representatives claim she herself is a victim, the target of an unidentified person she was dealing with for SHEIN coupons. Allegedly, funds disappeared amidst these transactions, prompting Al-Ghazouli’s sudden attempt to recover those losses from individuals involved with her.

While her family stands by her innocence, painting her as a trusting individual taken advantage of, the weight of accusations grows larger each day. Salma Al-Ghazouli’s once celebrated career in the social media fashion world hangs in the balance amidst the mounting legal challenges.

Ongoing Investigations

As the situation progresses and additional charges may be placed, Egyptian authorities continue to unravel the complexities of this multifaceted alleged scam. With new details emerging daily, this explosive case demonstrates the vulnerability of online transactions and underscores the necessity of thorough due diligence, particularly when investing sizable sums.