Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa, 39, has been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted for her role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation.
What happened in court
Khalifa, best known for hosting the crime programme Mission Impossible, wept in court in Cairo as the sentence was handed down. She pleaded with officials during proceedings, saying she had been raised well by religious parents and didn't need money from drugs. She has more than 2 million social media followers.
The case against her
Khalifa and 11 co-defendants were convicted of operating an organised gang that imported raw materials used to manufacture synthetic drugs, according to Egyptian state media. The wider case involved 28 defendants in total, with nine sentenced to life in prison and seven acquitted. Investigators seized more than 1,600 pounds of narcotics, along with unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Khalifa and others were arrested in 2025, accused of running the operation and storing product in residential properties.
Khalifa has consistently denied the charges, telling investigators she had never even smoked a cigarette in her life.
Her background
Beyond her television career, Khalifa ran a cosmetic surgery clinic and an event planning company.
The legal process
The death sentence followed a required consultation with Egypt's Grand Mufti for a religious opinion, a step mandated by law in capital cases. Under recent judicial reforms, the verdict can be appealed.
