A 66-year-old man who convinced a barber that former Celtic footballer Kris Commons was an Israeli secret service general in a bizarre £70,000 scam has been spared prison. Ali Hamuda was sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court after being found guilty of fraud.
Elaborate Deception
Hamuda, a former restaurant owner, told Mostafa Elshehawi, 51, that he worked for Egyptian special services and that Elshehawi's life was in danger. He also claimed that Elshehawi's wife had been recruited by "Jewish people" who intended to kill him.
Elshehawi emptied his life savings and took out bank loans after Hamuda demanded "security" money for protection. The scam was described in court as "like something from a James Bond movie."
Claims About Footballers
Hamuda later instructed Elshehawi to ask apparent barbershop customers Kris Commons and Gary Hooper for cash. Elshehawi testified, "He told me that Kris Commons was a Mossad general and that being a footballer was just cover."
Elshehawi said he sold iPhones, used savings, and took bank loans ranging from £1,000 to £7,000, sending Hamuda between £65,000 and £70,000. A detective constable confirmed £36,000 in direct bank transfers. Hamuda also seized personal documents, including a birth certificate and passport.
Threats and Control
Elshehawi described feeling like "a prisoner in my own house," with Hamuda allegedly checking for hidden cameras and hiring a bodyguard. Hamuda also convinced him to provide food samples from his wife, claiming she might poison him.
The victim said, "He gave me two options - be with him and listen to him or I would be killed. If I refused, he would kill me." Hamuda even claimed his wife was a spy for "Jewish" people and suggested she should be killed.
Sentencing
Sheriff Barry Divers imposed a one-year curfew, confining Hamuda to his home between 7pm and 7am, and ordered him to pay compensation within 12 months. Hamuda, of Rutherglen, has previous road traffic convictions. His lawyer said he "continues to deny his involvement" but accepts the jury's verdict.
