Three men in the UK have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a cryptocurrency scam that netted over $5.4 million from unsuspecting victims.
The gang, led by Anthony Ikenwe, 29, and Hamza Bashir, 23, impersonated police officers and convinced eight victims to visit fake websites where they stole the victims' crypto holdings.
The stolen funds were then laundered through a complex financial network, allowing the trio to finance their lavish lifestyles. Investigators uncovered evidence of them purchasing luxury items such as cars, designer clothes, and Rolexes.
The Met's Cryptocurrency Team launched an investigation in January 2025 after victims reported the fraud, using blockchain transactions, communications, financial records, and cryptocurrency exchange records to identify the group.