Two Nigerians jailed in UK court for £5 million crypto fraud
Two Nigerian nationals, Anthony Ikenwe (29) and Kevin Nwamma (25), and their accomplice Hamza Bashir (23) were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court in London on July 18, 2026 to a combined 28 years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering. The trio posed as police officers, contacted victims claiming their cryptocurrency accounts had been compromised, and persuaded them to hand over login details or transfer digital assets to fake accounts they controlled. Investigators said the gang obtained personal data from the dark web, built counterfeit crypto‑exchange websites, and even posed as technical support staff, using Snapchat to coordinate scams in real time. One intercepted message read: “Tell him to try with old pass.” Proceeds funded luxury holidays, designer watches, high‑end cars and shopping sprees at stores such as Harrods, with at least eight victims losing nearly £5 million. Detectives traced blockchain transactions, exchange records and communication logs to expose an organised cyber‑crime network spanning multiple jurisdictions. Police warned the public to ignore unsolicited calls about finances and to independently verify any claims with their bank or crypto provider before sharing information.