British sprinter CJ Ujah, a world 4x100m relay gold medallist from 2017, has been charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of a police investigation into cryptocurrency fraud. He is one of 10 suspects accused of being part of an organised crime group that allegedly scammed multiple victims through phone calls.
Details of the Alleged Scam
Police allege that the suspects posed as police officers and cryptocurrency company representatives to trick victims into revealing sensitive security details, including seed phrases. Once obtained, funds were stolen from victims' crypto wallets. One victim reportedly lost more than £300,000.
The charges follow an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, which covered areas including Kent, Essex, and London. All 10 suspects appeared at Margate Magistrates' Court last Thursday. Ujah was granted bail until the next hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court on 28 May.
Ujah's Athletics Career
Now 32, Ujah ran the first leg for Great Britain's relay team at the 2017 World Championships, winning gold in what was Usain Bolt's final race. That same year, Ujah also claimed the Diamond League title and holds a personal best of 9.96 seconds in the 100m.
In 2022, Ujah received a 22-month ban after testing positive for Ostarine and S-23 at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The Athletics Integrity Unit cleared him of intentional doping, attributing the positive test to a contaminated beta-alanine supplement purchased on Amazon for £10 during lockdown. However, the violation led to Great Britain being stripped of its Olympic 4x100m relay silver medal.
After his ban, Ujah reached the 100m semi-finals at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome but has not competed since April 2025.
Other Suspects
Among the other suspects is Brandon Mingeli, who represented Great Britain in the 100m at the 2021 European Under-23 Championships. Mingeli has been remanded in custody until the crown court hearing later this month.
