Two Nigerians, one other jailed in UK after stealing almost £5m in police impersonation scam

Three men, including two Nigerians, have received prison sentences totaling nearly 29 years for orchestrating a sophisticated cryptocurrency fraud. Anthony Ikenwe, 29, Hamza Bashir, 23, and Kevin Nwamma, 25, were convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering at Southwark Crown Court.

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This was a highly complex investigation into a group of calculated manipulators who exploited victims' trust by pretending to be police officers.

The group operated an elaborate scheme, impersonating police officers to trick victims. They falsely claimed victims' cryptocurrency accounts were compromised and pressured them into transferring their digital assets to supposedly secure accounts, which were actually controlled by the fraudsters. The criminals allegedly sourced victim information from the dark web and used fake websites mimicking legitimate cryptocurrency platforms to steal passwords and gain account access. They also posed as company employees and created fake technical support contacts to enhance the scam's credibility.

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The Met’s Cryptocurrency Team painstakingly traced millions of pounds, combining a wide range of investigative techniques to identify those responsible and dismantle a significant criminal network.

Evidence revealed the fraudsters used the illicit gains to fund a lavish lifestyle, including luxury holidays, designer watches, expensive cars, and shopping sprees. While eight victims are confirmed to have lost approximately £5 million, authorities suspect the actual number of affected individuals is higher. The investigation, launched in January 2025, involved tracing blockchain transactions, communications, financial records, and online activities to uncover the organized criminal network operating across multiple platforms and jurisdictions.

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Fraud is far from a victimless crime. Many of those targeted suffered devastating financial losses.

Detective Inspector Geoff Donoghue of the Metropolitan Police's Cryptocurrency Team highlighted the complexity of the investigation. "This was a highly complex investigation into a group of calculated manipulators who exploited victims' trust by pretending to be police officers," he stated. "The Met’s Cryptocurrency Team painstakingly traced millions of pounds, combining a wide range of investigative techniques to identify those responsible and dismantle a significant criminal network." He emphasized that fraud is not a victimless crime, noting the devastating financial losses many victims suffered, and affirmed the police commitment to pursuing criminals.

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Criminals cannot rely on sophisticated technology to hide their crimes. The Met Police remains committed to pursuing them and bringing them to justice.