UK arrests 10 people accused of crypto mnemonic phrase fraud, including sprinter CJ Ujah

According to Cryptopolitan on May 11, the Eastern Region Specialist Operations (ERSOU) carried out search warrants simultaneously on April 29 in Chelmsford, Enfield, South London, and Wakefield, arresting 10 suspects, including British sprint athlete CJ Ujah. All 10 defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud, and none of the defendants has pleaded guilty yet.

Case Details and Arrest Operation

According to Cryptopolitan, records from the magistrates’ court show that the 10 defendants are accused of participating in a cryptocurrency fraud syndicate involving victims across multiple locations in England. The operation received support from Kent Police, the City of London Police, the Metropolitan Police, and the West Yorkshire and Humber Organised Crime unit, with the suspect in Wakefield being detained by the Yorkshire investigative unit.

Brandon Mingeli, 25, who previously represented the United Kingdom at the 2021 European U23 Championships in the 100 meters event, is also among those charged. CJ Ujah previously took part in the Tokyo Olympics relay and received a 22-month ban for testing positive for a banned substance, had the medal stripped, and later, after it was found that he did not intentionally take banned drugs, he has not competed since 2024.

Alleged Fraud Tactics: Impersonation to Obtain Seed Phrases

According to Cryptopolitan, the allegations indicate that this fraud syndicate used social engineering tactics rather than technical intrusion. The suspected method was that scammers impersonated police officers or representatives of cryptocurrency companies to contact victims and pressure them into disclosing the seed phrase (seed phrase) or private key of their cryptocurrency wallet, thereby stealing the funds inside the wallet. Reports say that at least one victim lost £300k after their personal information was leaked.

Defendant List: Three Remanded, Seven Granted Bail

According to trial records reported by Cryptopolitan, three defendants were remanded in custody pending trial: Minglie Duston-McDonald (age 28, Chelmsford), Jamie Duston-McDonald (age 28, Chelmsford), and Louis Richards-Miller (age 24, Greenwich).

Including CJ Ujah, seven defendants were granted bail. The other six granted bail are Joseph Umoru (age 24), Adedegi Kuchore (age 24), Abdul-Azim Taiwo Adeola Yusuf (age 24), Abdul-Aziz Kayinde Adeolu Yusuf, Jaiden Nakayama (age 25), and Samantha Gyaa (age 25). All 10 defendants are scheduled to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 28, 2026.

ERSOU Public Safety Warning and Related Case Background

According to Cryptopolitan, after the arrests, ERSOU issued public guidance, clearly stating that the police will never call to ask about someone’s cryptocurrency holdings, and that no officials or companies will request seed phrases. Anyone who receives such a call should hang up immediately and conduct independent verification by calling 101 using another phone.

According to Cryptopolitan’s earlier report, the UK has also recently seen multiple cryptocurrency-related criminal cases: in November 2025, Thames Valley Police arrested four masked attackers suspected of forcing an Oxford victim to transfer about $1.5 million worth of cryptocurrency. Around the same time, three teenagers disguised as Amazon delivery drivers stole $3.1 million worth of cryptocurrency from an East London property and were ultimately sentenced to a combined 16 years of detention.

FAQs

What specific charges does CJ Ujah face?

According to Cryptopolitan, CJ Ujah is charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and is one of 10 defendants, all accused of participating in a cryptocurrency fraud syndicate. CJ Ujah has been granted bail, and all defendants are scheduled to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 28, 2026. As of the time of the report, no one has pleaded guilty.

What criminal methods did this cryptocurrency fraud syndicate use?

According to Cryptopolitan, the allegations show that the fraud syndicate used social engineering to impersonate police officers or cryptocurrency company representatives, contacted victims by phone, and pressured them to disclose cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases or private keys, then stole funds.

Which law enforcement agencies participated in this arrest operation?

According to Cryptopolitan, the operation was led by ERSOU and supported by Kent Police, the City of London Police, the Metropolitan Police, and the West Yorkshire and Humber Organised Crime unit.