CJ Ujah Among 10 Charged in UK Crypto Seed-Phishing Probe

Regional Organized Crime Units charged 10 people, including British sprinter CJ Ujah, in a U.K. investigation into alleged cryptocurrency fraud. Police carried out coordinated raids on April 29 across Kent, Essex, London and Wakefield. The suspects face charges of conspiracy to defraud.

Authorities allege callers posed as police officers and representatives of cryptocurrency companies to persuade victims to disclose private wallet recovery details known as seed phrases. A seed phrase is a list of words that can restore access to a crypto wallet; anyone with the phrase can control and transfer the funds. Investigators did not identify the types of crypto assets taken. One victim reportedly lost more than £300,000.

All 10 suspects appeared in court on April 30. Three people, including athlete Brandon Mingeli, were remanded in custody until a hearing on May 28. The other seven, including Ujah, were released on bail. Regional units said the suspects are believed to have worked together to target multiple victims.

Ujah helped Great Britain win the 4×100-meter relay at the 2017 World Championships. He received a 22-month ban after testing positive for banned substances at the Tokyo Olympics, which led to the loss of his team’s relay medal; athletics authorities later concluded contaminated supplements were to blame. He returned to competition in 2024 but has not raced since April 2025. His legal team did not comment at the court appearance.

Investigators and cybersecurity firms report a rise in social engineering and phishing as methods for crypto theft. Blockchain security firm Scam Sniffer reported that nearly 4,700 wallets were drained by signature phishing attacks in January. In April, the social platform X introduced new tools intended to reduce fraud and illicit transactions on its service.

Police warned the public to treat unexpected requests for wallet information as likely scams. The regional units wrote: “Police will never call you unexpectedly about your crypto or ask you to access your cold storage devices-this is a big red flag. No legitimate company or police officer will ever ask for your seed phrase.” The statement urged anyone who receives such a call to report it to local police.

The case is being handled by regional organized crime units working with local forces. Further hearings are expected for those held in custody and for defendants released on bail.