A con-artist who was arrested yesterday by Egyptian customs police for the smuggling of cloths in her car used the name of Egyptian belly dancer Lucy and claimed to be her. The news that was leaked out to the press yesterday did not include the fact that the fraud had used the dancer’s name as a cover-up and so all tabloids published that Lucy was the one in fact arrested.
According to the London based daily Al Sharq Al Awsat, the con-artist’s name is Soria Mahmoud Said Al Masri, and goes by the name Lucy, whereas the real name of the belly dancer is Anam Saed Mohammad Abdul Wahab. It was added that Soria had refused to come to terms with the customs officials and therefore her case was moved to a higher court under the charges of smuggling cloths that are worth over 250 thousand Egyptian pounds. Soria was freed on a bail of 5 thousand Egyptian pounds and is ordered to remain in Egypt until her trial.
It was reported that the dancer was arrested by custom police trying to smuggle cloths in her car, while driving home. The police had requested Lucy to stop so her car can undergo a routine search, in which they found a large number of brand name cloths, in which the custom tax was not paid for. It was added that Lucy was then arrested and taken to the local police station, and negotiated with officials that she is willing to pay all the due taxes and come to terms with the customs police in order to avoid the movement of the case to court and face criminal prosecution.
The dancer was also involved in a lawsuit filed by a former trumpet player on her band earlier this year. It appeared that she had underestimated the dispute that previously occurred between her and the former trumpet player. In the beginning the trumpet player had accused Lucy of using physical violence with the help of her bodyguard against him; recently the man filed a second lawsuit against the dancer for ruining his name and reputation.
Lucy had passed out flyers among a number of bands and nightclubs accusing the man of being a failure having no talent. She also stressed that he was expelled from the music academy and does not hold a PhD as he claims.
The musician revealed that Lucy is currently being brought in for questioning regarding the case. In turn the dancer went into rage saying that bringing her in for questioning by the police is crazy for she did not commit a crime against anyone. She denied ever spreading any form of flyers, for she is a well-known artist and would never stoop down to a point jeopardizing her career and reputation. Lucy added that it is true what has been written and the musician has been expelled from the Arts Academy for failing many courses.
The dancer said that a number of teachers at the academy experienced difficulties with the trumpet player and caught on easily to all his lies and claims of having a PhD. She added that he is so hungry for fame that he used her to get there, in which he succeeded in some way by filing a lawsuit against her and having his picture posted in most newspapers and magazines. -Albawaba.com
