News / USA

Egyptian-Born Copt Sentenced to Prison on Bank-Fraud Charges

Courtroom sketch shows Mark Basseley Youssef (r) talking with his attorney Steven Seiden in court. Youssef, was behind an anti-Muslim film that sparked violence in the Middle East, Sept. 27, 2012.
Courtroom sketch shows Mark Basseley Youssef (r) talking with his attorney Steven Seiden in court. Youssef, was behind an anti-Muslim film that sparked violence in the Middle East, Sept. 27, 2012.
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VOA News
The California man linked to the anti-Muslim film that sparked widespread anti-U.S. protests has been sent back to jail for violating the terms of his probation from a previous offense.
 
A U.S. District Court sentenced Mark Basseley Youssef to one year in federal prison on Wednesday after he admitted to four allegations, including using false identities, a violation of the terms of probation for a 2010 bank fraud conviction.
 
Youssef, an Egyptian-born Coptic Christian, was behind the movie Innocence of Muslims that parodies Islam's Prophet Muhammad. He allegedly used an alias, Sam Bacile, in making the film.
 
U.S. authorities arrested him in late September after the movie enraged Muslims worldwide and led to deadly violence in Libya.
 
The crudely-produced film depicting the Prophet Muhammad sparked protests that saw mobs burn U.S. missions, schools and businesses abroad.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP, and Reuters.

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