Lebanese Man Arrested for Elaborate Fraud Involving Purported Perpetual Energy Generator

A Lebanese businessman has been indicted on fraud charges after convincing investors to fund what he claimed was a revolutionary electrical generator requiring no fuel or external energy source.

The defendant, Naji B., born in 1972, was arrested on August 12, 2025, following a complaint filed by S.K., a businesswoman who owns a sanitary ware exhibition in the Chouf area. According to court documents, B. approached S.K.'s office and presented himself as an inventor holding multiple patent certificates. He demonstrated a device consisting of a mechanical machine connected to magnets and various components, asserting it could generate electricity independently.

Convinced by the presentation, S.K. contacted her business partner A.D., who resides in Qatar, and invited him to Lebanon to examine the prototype. After inspecting the device, both partners believed the inventor's claims appeared credible. B. subsequently requested $100,000 to develop the invention into a full-scale prototype, citing interest from major international institutions eager to finance and commercialize the technology.

The investors proceeded to transfer funds in installments, ultimately paying $20,000. B. continued requesting additional money under various justifications, including claims of material shortages and project development costs. Eventually, he closed his workshop in Damit and severed all communication, prompting the investors to realize they had been defrauded.

During interrogation, B. offered a different account of events. He claimed S.K. and her partner initially visited his office as potential customers and only later expressed interest in the invention, contributing $19,175 to the project. He attributed his inability to return funds or complete the project to a seven-month kidnapping followed by nine months in detention. He stated his readiness to either complete the project or return the money upon release.

Mount Lebanon Investigating Judge Rula Abdullah subsequently issued an indictment charging B. under Article 655 of the Penal Code, referring the case to trial before the single criminal judge in Baabda.