With his mobile phone camera and cigarettes, Mohamed Ali's confessions set off a firestorm in Egypt.
Through a series of videos, millions heard the former military contractor accuse President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and the army of spending millions of the public's money on palaces and seven-star hotels during an economic crisis.
When he called for Egyptians to take to the streets, it sparked protests that were the first visible sign of unrest in years.
What does Ali's story say about Egypt today? Zein Tawfik, presenter for Al Jazeera's Arabic channel, joins The Take.
For more:
Egypt: Mohamed Ali and the return of the protesters
What do Mohamed Ali's viral videos mean for Egypt's future?
Alexandra Locke produced this episode with Dina Kesbeh, Ney Alvarez, Amy Walters, Priyanka Tilve and Malika Bilal. Alex Roldan is The Take's sound designer. Natalia Aldana is The Take's engagement producer. Stacey Samuel is the executive producer and Graelyn Brashear is Al Jazeera's head of audio.
Special thanks to Ahmed Madi, Tariq Nafi and Ahmed Diab.
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