British sprinter CJ Ujah has been charged with conspiracy to defraud following his arrest in connection with a cryptocurrency scam that allegedly cost one victim over £300,000. The 32-year-old is among 10 suspects accused of being part of an organised crime group linked to a phone call scam.
Details of the Alleged Scam
Victims were reportedly tricked into sharing sensitive security information, including seed phrases, only to later discover that funds in their cryptocurrency wallets had been stolen. The suspects allegedly posed as representatives of cryptocurrency companies or police officers to gain trust.
Police officers from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit's Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) executed search warrants and forced entry into multiple addresses. Arrests were made across Chelmsford, Enfield, and south London, with assistance from the City of London Police, Kent Police, and the Metropolitan Police Service.
Ujah's Arrest and Court Appearance
Ujah, of Gilda Avenue, Enfield, was arrested on 29 April and appeared before Margate Magistrates' Court. He was one of seven suspects bailed to attend the next hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on 28 May.
The 100m sprinter has not competed for over a year, since April 2025. Previously, Ujah served a 22-month doping ban imposed by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for unintentional use of prohibited substances. The ban stemmed from his failure to take adequate precautions when purchasing supplements online, which were contaminated and led to a positive test. However, Ujah was cleared of intentionally doping.
Impact on Career
The doping ban resulted in Great Britain being stripped of their silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the Tokyo Olympics, where Ujah was the lead-off runner. He returned to competition at the 2024 European Athletics Championships but did not qualify for the 100m final. He has not raced since April last year.
Ujah was previously part of Britain's relay wins at the 2017 World Championships and helped the team win the European Athletics Championships in 2016 and 2018. Individually, he won 100m gold at the Diamond League in 2017 and the same event at the 2013 European Athletics Junior Championships. His international success began with silver medals in the 100m and 4x100m at the 2011 Commonwealth Youth Games.
Other Suspect
Another suspect, Brandon Mingeli, also a sprinter for Great Britain, has been charged. The 25-year-old from New London Road, Chelmsford, was remanded in custody. Mingeli represented GB at the 2021 European Under-23 Championships in the 100m but appears not to have competed since the 2023 season. His last recorded result was at the Newham & Essex Beagles Summer Series in August 2023, where he finished sixth in his final and heat.
