Two men, Jake Lee and James Heppel, have been sentenced to jail for stealing over £5.7 million worth of cryptocurrency from victims globally. Identified by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), the pair targeted 55 victims across 26 countries, including 11 from the UK. Lee received a four-year prison term, while Heppel was sentenced to 15 months.

The fraud involved replicating the website of the cryptocurrency exchange Blockchain.com to access victims’ Bitcoin wallets, enabling them to steal funds and login details. The police confiscated various assets, including £551,000 in cash, £64,000 worth of cryptocurrency, and a Banksy print valued at £60,000.

Lee was ordered to pay nearly £1 million as part of a confiscation order to compensate victims, with similar proceedings underway for Heppel. The investigation began when Lee was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, leading to the discovery of the cryptocurrency scam involving Heppel. Detective Superintendent Matt

Source: bbc.com

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