Two Nigerians Jailed in UK Over £4m Crypto Scam That Targeted Victims by Posing as Police

• Two Nigerians and a third accomplice have been sentenced to prison in the UK after defrauding victims of more than £4 million in a cryptocurrency scam that involved impersonating police officers.

Two Nigerian nationals and a third accomplice have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for orchestrating a sophisticated cryptocurrency fraud that stole more than £4 million from eight victims after posing as police officers.

The Metropolitan Police disclosed the convictions in a statement published on its website, revealing that the fraudsters tricked victims into believing their cryptocurrency holdings were under threat before convincing them to transfer the assets into fake “secure police accounts.”

According to investigators, the stolen cryptocurrency was immediately laundered through a complex financial network designed to conceal the proceeds of the crime.

The convicted men were identified as Anthony Ikenwe, 29, Kevin Nwamma, 25, both Nigerians, and Hamza Bashir, 23.

They were sentenced on Thursday at Southwark Crown Court.

How the scam worked

Police said the criminal network created convincing fake police websites and used them to deceive victims into believing they were communicating with genuine law enforcement officers.

Once the victims transferred their cryptocurrency to the so-called secure accounts, the funds were rapidly moved through multiple wallets and laundering channels to make tracing difficult.

The investigation began in January 2025 after several victims reported losing large sums in what initially appeared to be unrelated fraud cases.

However, detectives later discovered the offences were linked to a coordinated criminal network operating across multiple digital platforms and jurisdictions.

Investigators relied on blockchain analysis, financial records, internet service provider data, cryptocurrency exchange information and digital communications to unravel the conspiracy.

Lavish lifestyle funded by stolen crypto

The Metropolitan Police said the fraud proceeds financed an extravagant lifestyle for the suspects.

Investigators found they spent stolen funds on luxury vehicles, designer clothing, Rolex watches and expensive international holidays despite having little or no legitimate income.

One of the suspects reportedly declared an annual income of just £444, yet the group travelled to destinations including Thailand, Japan, Paris, Mykonos, the Maldives and the Seychelles, while shopping at luxury stores such as Harrods, Hermès and Louis Vuitton.

Police also discovered that the gang purchased a vehicle worth nearly £60,000 using cryptocurrency and held approximately £500,000 in cash inside a safety deposit box in Dubai.

Millions recovered

During coordinated raids carried out across London and Essex on November 20, 2025, officers arrested the three suspects and recovered approximately £1 million directly linked to victims’ funds.

The operation also led to the seizure of around 40 mobile phones, cryptocurrency assets and luxury goods worth more than £26,000.

Forensic examinations of the seized digital devices uncovered extensive evidence connecting the suspects to the fraud.

Investigators also traced more than £1 million in cryptocurrency to digital wallets controlled by Anthony Ikenwe.

In Kevin Nwamma’s case, detectives linked criminal proceeds to bank accounts associated with his luxury chauffeur and transport business after tracing transfers from wallets containing stolen cryptocurrency.

Jail terms

Ikenwe and Nwamma each received six years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit fraud and five years for money laundering, with both sentences to run concurrently.

Bashir was sentenced to three years and nine months for conspiracy to commit fraud and three years for money laundering, also to run concurrently.

According to the Metropolitan Police, Ikenwe and Nwamma pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and multiple counts of converting criminal property.

Bashir initially denied the allegations but changed his plea to guilty on the eighth day of his trial after prosecutors presented what police described as overwhelming evidence.

Police vow to pursue more suspects

Commenting on the convictions, Detective Inspector Geoff Donoghue of the Metropolitan Police’s Cryptocurrency Team described the offenders as “calculated manipulators” who exploited public trust by pretending to be police officers.

He said the investigation demonstrated law enforcement’s growing ability to trace digital assets and dismantle sophisticated cryptocurrency crime networks.

The Metropolitan Police added that investigations are continuing in collaboration with UK and international partners to identify additional suspects connected to the conspiracy and recover more assets for the victims.