Sarah Khalifa, 39, was sentenced by a Cairo criminal court to death by hanging alongside 11 other defendants.
The court convicted them of participating in an organized operation manufacturing and trafficking synthetic narcotics using imported raw materials.
Prosecutors also accused members of possessing unlicensed firearms and ammunition connected to the criminal enterprise.
The case involved 28 defendants, making it one of Egypt’s most closely watched celebrity prosecutions in recent years.
Nine additional defendants received life sentences, while seven others were acquitted after judges weighed the prosecution’s sweeping evidence.
Khalifa can appeal, meaning the death sentence remains subject to review under Egypt’s criminal justice system.
Her attorney, Mohamed El Gendy, announced plans to challenge the conviction over alleged procedural errors during the trial.
El Gendy said the ruling would be “as if it never existed” once the appeal process succeeds.
The defense may ultimately seek review before Egypt’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court for criminal cases.
Khalifa has consistently denied participating in drug trafficking and emotionally defended herself during the highly publicized proceedings.
“I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life!” Khalifa reportedly shouted after the sentence was announced.
During another courtroom plea, Khalifa insisted, “My parents raised me well; they are people who pray.”
Prosecutors presented a dramatically different story, describing assigned roles covering procurement, manufacturing, storage, and distribution of synthetic narcotics.
Authorities said members imported chemical ingredients before manufacturing finished drugs inside residential properties, allegedly converted into clandestine laboratories.
Investigators seized more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials, equivalent to roughly 1,653 pounds.
Authorities also reported discovering two apartments used as laboratories, alongside weapons, ammunition, and equipment linked to drug production.
The enormous seizure became a centerpiece of the prosecution’s case against Khalifa and the other defendants ultimately convicted.
Prosecutors relied upon statements from 20 witnesses during an investigation extending far beyond simple drug-possession allegations.
They introduced technical and digital evidence, including messages, photographs, and videos allegedly documenting portions of the criminal operation.
Each defendant sentenced to death was fined 500,000 Egyptian pounds, according to Egyptian reporting on the judgment.
Khalifa previously hosted “Mission Impossible,” an Egyptian television program focused on security and crime issues.
The former presenter also operated a cosmetic surgery clinic and events business while building a substantial social media following.
Khalifa accumulated well over two million Instagram followers, giving the prosecution international attention far beyond Egypt’s courtroom system.
She was arrested in Cairo during April 2025 as investigators intensified their examination of the alleged trafficking organization.
Egypt permits capital punishment for offenses including premeditated murder, terrorism, and major drug trafficking under its criminal laws.
If death sentences survive every available appeal, Egypt carries out civilian executions by hanging.
Before imposing capital punishment, Egyptian courts must seek the opinion of the country’s Grand Mufti.
The Grand Mufti’s religious opinion is procedurally required in capital cases but remains advisory rather than legally binding.
The Cairo court followed that process before formally imposing death sentences against Khalifa and 11 co-defendants.
Egypt’s use of capital punishment has drawn international criticism from human rights organizations concerned about fairness and proportionality.
Still, this judgment represents more than an allegation because a trial court formally convicted Khalifa after examining evidence.
Egypt’s appellate process could nevertheless overturn the conviction, order a retrial, or modify the punishment imposed.
For law-and-order conservatives, the case demonstrates how organized drug trafficking can involve enormous resources, weapons, and sophisticated distribution networks.
Khalifa’s celebrity and social media prominence did not shield her from severe penalties once judges accepted prosecutors’ evidence.
The case now moves toward appeals, where defense attorneys will challenge procedure, evidence, and the punishment imposed.
No execution can be considered imminent while Khalifa and the other condemned defendants retain available avenues for judicial review.
The seven acquittals also show judges did not simply accept every prosecution allegation against all 28 defendants.
For now, Khalifa remains a convicted defendant facing Egypt’s ultimate punishment after one of its most sensational recent trials.
Whether that sentence survives appeal will determine if the former television personality ultimately faces hanging or receives another legal outcome.
