On Wednesday, a Marrakech court sentenced the owner of a villa at the center of a hidden camera scandal to five years in prison, along with a 50,000-dirham fine and additional court fees, according to local media. The French-Moroccan businessman admitted during the investigation that his actions were fueled by an addiction to pornography. He also revealed he had once been involved with an adult film production company in France, though he denied ever sharing any of the footage he secretly recorded with online platforms. The man reportedly only confessed after being confronted by a housekeeper who worked at the property. She told investigators that he would sneak into guests' rooms while they were out to retrieve footage from cameras he had hidden inside electrical appliances and decorative objects. The case came to light after a well-known American influencer posted a TikTok video revealing that she and her friends had discovered a hidden camera in the bathroom of the villa they had rented through Airbnb. The group had already become suspicious of possible tampering with their belongings. Before heading out on a trip to the Agafay desert, they had filmed the condition of their rooms. Upon returning, they noticed things were out of place, which raised further concerns. Using a mobile app designed to detect hidden surveillance devices, they discovered the camera. In coordination with the Royal Gendarmerie, a sting operation was set up. The tourists contacted the villa owner under the pretense of discussing the inflated prices of alcoholic drinks, some bottles costing more than 2,000 dirhams, which led to his immediate arrest. During the search, authorities seized a computer, two mobile phones, nearly 100,000 dirhams in cash, and a sex toy.
