CAIRO (AFP) - An Egyptian man was sentenced to 1,000 years behind bars on Thursday after scamming hundreds of people out of 280 million pounds (around 52 million dollars), a court official said.

The Giza criminal court sentenced Abdullah Kamel Mohammed, 42, for cheating 480 people out of their money over several years.

"He would promise people that he would invest their money for them and bring them good profits, but he would take the money and disappear," the source said. "Over the years, he made about 280 million pounds."

Mohammed was arrested in Cairo in November after a neighbour who had been conned recognised him and called the police.

The official did not say when Mohammed might be eligible for parole.

LIKE IT?  LET OTHERS KNOW