Three men in the United Kingdom were sentenced to prison after carrying out a scam that diverted more than £4 milhões (US$ 5,4 milhões) in cryptocurrencies from their victims. The information was released by the Metropolitan Police of London this Thursday.
According to the official statement, the criminals posed as police officers and led eight victims to fake pages that imitated the force's own websites. In these fraudulent environments, users' cryptocurrencies were stolen and then concealed in a sophisticated financial web.
The investigation began in janeiro de 2025, after the victims filed complaints. To reach the suspects, officers cross-referenced blockchain transaction data, communications, financial records, and information from cryptocurrency exchanges.
"This was an extremely complex investigation into a group of calculating manipulators who exploited the victims' trust by pretending to be police officers and spending other people's money to fund their extravagant lifestyles," inspector Geoff Donoghue said in a statement.
The trial took place at Southwark Crown Court. Anthony Ikenwe, 29, received six years for conspiracy to commit fraud and five for money laundering. Hamza Bashir, 23, received three years and nine months for the conspiracy and three years for the laundering. Kevin Nwamma, 25, was sentenced to six years for the conspiracy and five for the laundering.
According to the investigation, the money supported a life of luxury, with cars, designer clothes, and Rolex watches. One of the defendants, however, declared an annual income of only £444 (US$ 597).
Officers also linked more than £1 milhão (US$ 1,34 milhão) in cryptocurrencies to wallets controlled by Ikenwe and found about £500.000 (US$ 673.150) in cash inside a safe in Dubai. The group also amassed trips to Thailand, Japan, Paris, Mykonos, Maldives, and Seychelles.
"The Metropolitan Police Cryptocurrency Team meticulously traced millions of pounds, combining a wide range of investigative techniques to dismantle a major criminal network," Donoghue added.
In the United States, the fight against similar frauds remains firm. This Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted Benjamin Paul Wiener, a resident of Sioux Falls, on 29 charges linked to an alleged US$ 20 milhões scheme.