Moroccan Anti-Corruption Leader Arrested for Alleged Fraud Against Bank and Ministry

The entrepreneur’s arrest follows the filing of several complaints for fraud, forgery and use of forgeries. This man, who chairs an anti-corruption body and an association of small businesses, is suspected of having scammed several natural and legal persons by falsifying several administrative and judicial documents bearing in particular the signatures of lawyers and bailiffs. Among his victims, a bank and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Digital Economy.

The entrepreneur’s company had issued a bank guarantee. Subsequently, the accused had falsified the certificate of this guarantee intended to secure the contract awarded by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Digital Economy, reports Al Akhbar. The bank validated this guarantee based on the assets the entrepreneur had in his account. While this guarantee was to be maintained until the end of the work, the subject of the contract, the accused presented the bank with a falsified certificate indicating that his mission was accomplished and that he no longer had any commitment to release his guarantee.

The bank only discovered the trick after the withdrawal. In a notification from Bank Al-Maghrib, it was notified that the treasurer of the ministry had asked it to release the sum of 102,507.60 dirhams to ensure the final guarantee of 94,476.00 dirhams. The bank contacts the ministry, then realizes the deception.

The accused is currently detained in the Al Arjate prison in Salé. An investigating judge at the Rabat Court of Appeal is in charge of the case. The investigation begins on Monday, July 19.