May 8 (Reuters) – British sprinter Chijindu Ujah was arrested as part of an investigation into cryptocurrency fraud, a serious crime investigation body said, with the former world champion being released on bail.
Britain’s Regional Organised Crime Unit Network (ROCU) said Ujah was one of 10 people arrested and one of seven bailed by magistrates to attend a court hearing on May 28 after they were all charged with conspiracy to defraud.
Ujah did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Governing body British Athletics declined to comment.
“It is alleged the suspects were part of an organised crime group linked to a scam which involved phone calls to multiple victims, from people purporting to be police officers and cryptocurrency companies,” ROCU said in a statement.
“Victims are reported to have been tricked into sharing important security details, including seed phrases, before discovering funds stored in their crypto wallets had been stolen.”
ROCU said one of the victims is alleged to have lost more than 300,000 pounds ($410,000).
Ujah was a 4×100 metres relay world champion in 2017 and European relay champion in 2016 and 2018.
He was banned for 22 months for a doping violation which led to Britain’s relay team at the Tokyo Olympics being stripped of their silver medal.
($1 = 0.7343 pounds)
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)