The 'fake sheikh' is facing jail today after he was found guilty of tampering with evidence to snare former X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos in a drugs sting.
Mazher Mahmood, 53, got his driver, Alan Smith, 67, to change a witness statement that suggested the former N-Dubz star was anti-drugs.
He then lied to the judge tasked with deciding if the methods he used to involve Tulisa, 28, in the supply of half an ounce of cocaine amounted to entrapment.
The trial collapsed in July 2014 after the undercover reporter was accused of perjury.
The self-appointed King of the Sting insisted he had no reason to lie as the evidence against Tulisa was overwhelming.
But his career is now in tatters after was exposed as the 'master of deceit' in a two week Old Bailey trial.
Mahmood and Smith were both found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and both now face jail.
The verdicts could pave the way for a string of payouts to alleged victims of Mahmood's stings and lawyer Mark Lewis, of Seddons solicitors, said he has been instructed by 18 clients to pursue civil claims.
Judge Gerald Gordon said is expected to adjourn before passing sentence.
Known for his elaborate disguises, the Sun reporter is believed to have been responsible for almost 100 convictions.
Known for his elaborate disguises, the Sun reporter is believed to have been responsible for almost 100 convictions.
The award winning journalist made a name for himself with a string of high-profile investigations that exposed corruption and destroyed careers.
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Tulisa was devastated by the sting
During his 20-year stint at the now-defunct News of the World, Mahmood uncovered cricket match-fixing and targeted Royals including Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Sarah, the Duchess of York.
Mahmood briefly joined The Sunday Times after the tabloid's closure following the phone hacking scandal before moving to the Sun in December 2012.
He claimed he began an investigation into Tulisa after receiving a tip-off from a member of her 'inner circle' that she was using and supplying drugs.
Posing as wealthy film financier Samir Khan, he convinced the aspiring actress she was in the running to play the bad girl lead in an Oscar-winning Bollywood movie alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.
She was flown to Las Vegas first class and treated to dinner at the exclusive Nobu restaurant during a boozy meeting at London's Metropolitan Hotel.
John Stillwell/PA Wire
But the £3.5 million dream job was an elaborate sham designed to catch Tulisa offering to supply drugs.
She was caught on tape talking of green and white sweets - said to be code for cannabis and cocaine - before giving Mahmood the phone number of Michael Coombs, better known as rapper Mike GLC.
Once half an ounce of the drug was sold to Mahmood for £800, the sensational story was splashed on the Sun on Sunday headlined: 'Tulisa's cocaine deal shame.'
She was arrested and charged, but in the run-up to her trial Mahmood was grilled by her lawyers over the tactics he employed.
Prosecutor Sarah Forshaw QC said: 'It was to be argued, the prosecution case against Tulisa Contostavlos should fail at the first hurdle because of the way Mahmood had behaved.
Philip Toscano/PA Wire
'In effect the hearing in June 2014 put Mahmood and his journalistic practices on trial.
'He liked to call himself 'The King of the Sting'. He boasted in a book he had written of the number of convictions he was responsible for.
'But he knew that, if it could be shown that he had acted improperly - as an agent provocateur - inducing Miss Contostavlos to do something she would not otherwise do, his own credibility and the prospects of a conviction in that case might both be sorely damaged.'
Just days before the hearing, Smith had told police of a conversation in the back of his car as he drove Tulisa, her PA, Gareth Varey, and pal Michelle McKenna from a meeting with Mahmood's alter-ego on the night of 10 May.
Rex
In a statement, Tulisa said she was 'hyper drunk' after the group was plied with booze.
"During this period Gareth, Michelle and I consumed a considerable amount of alcoholic drinks provided by Mr Mahmood," she said.
"I can't recall how many drinks I had, but by the time we left I was drunk.
"In saying this, I would describe my state as hyper drunk, not sleepy drunk and was therefore aware of my surroundings."
She said she started to sober up during the 45-minute journey back to her Hertfordshire mansion, but her memory was 'quite vague'.
Tulisa recalled having an argument with Mr Varey, which got to the stage where he tried to get out of the moving car.
Philip Toscano/PA Wire
"The other conversation was about a relative of mine," said Tulisa.
"I can't recall the full details, buy I mentioned my concern about this person's hard drug use, mentioned he was staying at my home and that he had a drug problem.
"I mentioned that I let him stay to keep him off drugs, however, he was still using at the time.
"I was worried about him and worried he might be attracting drug dealers to the area where I lived and my home."
Smith emailed his draft statement to Mahmood before contacting police to change it to remove the part about the chat in his car.
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But, quizzed by Tulisa's barrister, Jeremy Dein QC, in court on 24 June, Mahmood suggested he had no knowledge of the conversation and had not discussed it with his driver.
The day after Smith told Tulisa's solicitors he had sent the statement to his boss, Mahmood told jurors Southwark Crown Court he had seen it.
Judge Alistair McCreath QC stopped the trial amid allegations the key witness, Mahmood, had lied.
Mahmood was suspended by the Sun and was later arrested and charged.
He told police he believed the court had been looking for an excuse to drop the Tulisa case.
Wenn
In a prepared statement on 22 September 2014, he said: "The operation against Tulisa Contostavlos was properly planned and lawfully undertaken.
"Her co-defendant pleaded guilty and indeed has stated recently that he was amongst a number of people she contacted to buy drugs.
"In my view, she had been in the unlawful supply of drugs and supplied me drugs in circumstances where she was under no pressure to do so.
"As such, I had no need to invent, suppress or manipulate evidence and did not do so.
"I believe the court was looking for an excuse to drop the case and seized upon an apparent discrepancy without proper analysis.
"By the end of my evidence, I had no support from prosecution counsel and was subject to cross examination from the judge."
But prosecutors said Mahmood wanted to protect his reputation, while Smith acted out of loyalty to his boss of 20 years.
Ms Forshaw told jurors: "Taken together we say the picture is overwhelming. Mr Mahmood may be the master of subterfuge and deception.
"But on this occasion it is he - together with his employee - who are exposed."
Mahmood and Smith deny conspiring to pervert the course of justice and are on unconditional bail.
Neither defendant reacted as the guilty verdicts were delivered.
The prosecution asked for costs to be awarded totalling £37,929.
Judge Gerald Gordon adjourned sentencing until October 21 and allowed the defendants continued bail.
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