Mecca Pilgrimage Visa Scam: Teacher Arrested in Morocco for Fraud

The Meknes police arrested a teacher from the École Normale Supérieure of Meknes suspected of being involved in visa scams for pilgrimage to Mecca. This arrest, which took place on Tuesday, August 27, is the result of an investigation conducted by the judicial police, which received several complaints from victims. The defendant is a married man in his forties and a father. He was the subject of a wanted notice.

The accused is said to have betrayed the trust of about ten people, men and women, wishing to perform the great pilgrimage (Hajj), making them believe that he could intervene in their favor to obtain exceptional visas without going through the lottery operation, in exchange for an amount ranging from 60 to 80,000 dirhams for each person, reports Assabah. During the searches carried out at his home, the investigators seized checks, copies of national identity cards and passports, a sum of money, as well as bank transfer and money transfer receipts "suspected of being the spoils of this criminal activity."

After his arrest and placement in custody, the defendant was brought before the public prosecutor. The latter notified him of his indictment, as well as the charges that have been brought against him.