Three UK men jailed for £4M crypto scam using fake police websites, says Met Police

Three men in the UK have been sentenced to prison for running a cryptocurrency fraud scheme that netted over £4 million by impersonating police officers and building fake law enforcement websites. The Metropolitan Police’s Cryptocurrency Team traced the funds using blockchain analysis after victims reported the scam in January 2025.

Anthony Ikenwe, 29, and Kevin Nwamma, 25, each received 6-year sentences for conspiracy to defraud alongside concurrent 5-year terms for money laundering. Hamza Bashir, 23, got 3 years and 9 months for conspiracy to defraud with a concurrent 3-year money laundering sentence.

The playbook: pretend to protect, then steal everything

The three men posed as police officers supposedly safeguarding victims’ digital assets, then convinced at least eight people to transfer their crypto holdings to fraudulent accounts. The defendants built fake police websites to add a veneer of legitimacy to their operation. Victims, believing they were cooperating with law enforcement to protect their funds, willingly handed over access.

The trio’s spending habits told a story their tax returns didn’t. Trips to Thailand, Japan, the Maldives, and the Seychelles. Shopping sprees at Harrods and Hermès. One defendant declared an annual income of just £444.

How the Met tracked the money

Victims first reported the fraud in January 2025, triggering an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s dedicated Cryptocurrency Team. The unit deployed blockchain analysis alongside traditional financial records to follow the money trail.

The investigation culminated in coordinated arrests on November 20, 2025. Officers seized 40 mobile phones along with various luxury items during the raids. About £1 million in assets linked to the victims has been recovered so far, with efforts to retrieve the remaining funds still ongoing.

Ikenwe and Nwamma pleaded guilty in April 2026. Bashir held out longer, only changing his plea on the eighth day of his trial.

What this means for crypto holders

No legitimate law enforcement agency will ever ask you to transfer your cryptocurrency to a “safe” wallet. Not the Met, not the FBI, not Interpol. If someone claiming to be a police officer asks you to move your crypto, that’s the scam.

The recovery of £1 million out of the £4 million stolen still leaves roughly three-quarters of the funds unaccounted for. International asset recovery efforts are also underway, suggesting cross-border cooperation is part of the ongoing investigation.

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