British fake police gang sentenced for stealing $5.4 million in cryptocurrency

Odaily Planet Daily reports: A British gang that posed as police officers and created a fake police website, using phone calls to impersonate police and persuade cryptocurrency holders to transfer funds to a so-called "safe account," stealing $5.4 million worth of cryptocurrency, has been sentenced this week. 23-year-old Hamza Bashir, 25-year-old Kevin Nwamma, and 29-year-old Anthony Ikenwe were sentenced to six years and nine months, eleven years, and eleven years in prison, respectively. The stolen funds were used to purchase luxury goods, including a £60,000 car, trips to Thailand and Japan, and items from brands such as Harrods, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Rolex. Police also found £500,000 in cash inside a safe and determined that most of the stolen cryptocurrency had been converted onto payment cards. Gang members also falsely reported their annual income, with one declaring just £444.