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UK gang sentenced over £4 million cryptocurrency theft using fake police sites

UK gang sentenced over £4 million cryptocurrency theft using fake police sites

The men impersonated police officers, used fake police websites to push victims into sending crypto to supposed safe accounts, and were jailed after stealing more than £4 million, about $5.3 million.

Fact Check
Multiple independent credible UK news outlets (The National, Thurrock Gazette, The Telegraph, Greatest Hits Radio) consistently report a Metropolitan Police case in which a UK gang was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 16 July 2026 for impersonating police officers, using convincing fake police websites to steer victims into transferring crypto to fake 'police-controlled/safe' wallets, and spending proceeds on luxury goods, travel and payment cards — matching every element of the claim. The claim's '$5.4 million' corresponds to the widely reported £4 million+ figure at standard conversion. The only minor divergence is currency framing ($ vs £), which does not undermine the substance.
Summary

Three men have been jailed in the UK for a £4 million, about $5.3 million, cryptocurrency fraud that used fake police websites and phone impersonation to persuade eight victims to surrender their holdings. Investigators said the group claimed victims' crypto was at risk and directed them to share account details or move funds into supposed secure police accounts, after which the assets were stolen and funneled through a laundering network. At Southwark Crown Court, Anthony Ikenwe, 29, and Kevin Nwamma, 25, were each sentenced to six years for conspiracy to commit fraud and five years for money laundering, to run concurrently, while Hamza Bashir, 23, received three years and nine months for fraud and three years for laundering, also concurrent. Police said the proceeds were spent on a nearly £60,000 car, luxury shopping, Rolexes and holidays, and that about £1 million linked to victims has been recovered while further asset-tracing continues.

Terms & Concepts
  • laundering network: A system used to move and disguise criminal proceeds to make them harder to trace.
  • blockchain transactions: Transfers recorded on a blockchain that investigators can analyze to follow the movement of digital assets.
  • secure police accounts: Accounts falsely presented as official safe destinations for victims' funds.