An Egyptian court confirmed real estate mogul Hisham Talaat Moustafa and former officer Muhsen el-Sukkari’s death sentences Thursday.  Moustafa paid the ex-officer $2M to kill Lebanese singer and pop star Suzanne Tamim in the United Arab Emirates last July.

 Egypt’s highest religious official, the grand mufti, Sheikh Ali Gomaa reviewed the sentence and decided not to overturn the decision to hang both men.  The Mufti’s advice is only used for decisions regarding death sentences by law. 

 Talaat Moustafa was a parliamentary member for the National Democratic Party and former chairman of the construction and real estate company Talaat Moustafa Group.  Moustafa apparently loved the rising star but could not take her as a second wife. 

 Prosecutors said her death was a “means of taking revenge” after she ended their relationship.

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