Olympic sprinter CJ Ujah appears in court over alleged crypto fraud

British Olympic sprinter CJ Ujah was listed in a Chelmsford Crown Court hearing on Thursday as one of ten people accused of taking part in an organised cryptocurrency fraud scheme, while also facing a separate charge related to cannabis supply [1].

Key takeaways

• Ujah and nine others are charged with conspiracy to defraud in a crypto‑scam that reportedly stole over £300,000 from a victim [1].
• The alleged fraud involved callers posing as police officers and cryptocurrency firms to obtain victims’ security details [1].
• A coordinated police operation across Kent, Essex and London led to the arrests; some defendants were remanded in custody while others were released on bail [1].
• Ujah also faces a distinct charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis, which the judge ordered to be dealt with separately [1].
• The next court appearance is set for July 24, with a trial expected to last around three months [1].

Court hearing and the alleged cryptocurrency scheme

At Chelmsford Crown Court, Ujah—identified in the court list as Chijindu Ujah—raised his hand to confirm his identity before sitting in the dock alongside five co‑defendants, while the remaining four appeared via prison videolink [1]. The Regional Organised Crime Unit Network announced that all ten are charged with conspiracy to defraud, alleging they were part of an organised crime group that ran a cryptocurrency scam. Victims were reportedly contacted by individuals claiming to be police officers and representatives of crypto companies, tricked into revealing security credentials, and then saw funds disappear from their digital wallets. One victim is said to have lost more than £300,000 [1].

The investigation was carried out by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), which executed a series of coordinated search warrants across Kent, Essex and London on 29 April [1]. Following the hearing, the judge instructed that the cannabis‑related charge against Ujah be severed and dealt with in separate proceedings. While Ujah and several others were released on bail, four defendants—including Brandon Mingeli, Louis Richards‑Miller, Joseph Umoru and Jami Durston—were remanded into custody [1].

Next steps and potential trial timeline

None of the defendants entered pleas at the Thursday hearing, and they are due to return to Chelmsford Crown Court on 24 July [1]. The presiding judge indicated that a trial could extend for approximately three months, though no specific date or venue for the trial has been set yet [1]. Ujah, a 32‑year‑old from Enfield, north London, is known for his sprinting achievements, including breaking the 10‑second barrier in the 100 metres and winning a 4×100 m relay gold at the 2017 World Championships. His athletic career was previously marred by a doping controversy at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, though he was later cleared of intentional wrongdoing [1].