A trio, including two Nigerians, received a collective prison sentence of 28 years and nine months for orchestrating a £5 million cryptocurrency scam. At Southwark Crown Court, Anthony Ikenwe, Hamza Bashir, and Kevin Nwamma were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
The group impersonated police officers and digital asset company staff to trick victims into believing their cryptocurrency accounts were compromised. By leveraging stolen dark web data and deceptive websites, the men convinced targets to transfer funds or reveal sensitive credentials to accounts under their control. Evidence included video footage of a perpetrator receiving live instructions via Snapchat while on a call with a victim.
The stolen funds financed extravagant expenditures, such as luxury travel, high-end watches, and premium vehicles. While eight victims have been identified as having lost nearly £5 million, authorities suspect the total number of affected individuals is much higher. The investigation, which began in early 2025, involved analyzing blockchain records, communication logs, and financial data to uncover the criminal network.
Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Geoff Donoghue noted that the perpetrators relied on manipulation and breached public trust to carry out the complex scheme. Authorities are currently advising the public to exercise extreme caution regarding unsolicited financial calls and to verify requests directly with their banking institutions.
