Egypt’s National Security Agency has arrested two suspects of impersonating two high-level officials and fabricating a phone call in which they negotiated illegal awarding of contracts of some major national projects to certain companies in exchange for a huge bribe, with the aim of defaming the Egyptian government.

According to the security, the suspects, one of whom had a criminal record, impersonate state officials to deceive businessmen into paying bribes. 

In an official statement, the Ministry of Interior identified the suspects as a 61-year-old unemployed, previously convicted swindler who pretended to be a police general, and a 52-year-old woman claiming the identity of a presidential advisor.

The fabricated call was leaked via a fugitive Muslim Brotherhood TV show host Abdullah El-Sherif and then went viral on social media. The security investigation showed that one of the suspects was in contact with El-Sherif.