Former Olympic sprinter CJ Ujah denies cryptocurrency fraud charges

British sprinter CJ Ujah denies alleged cryptocurrency fraud

Former Olympic sprinter CJ Ujah has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud charges related to an alleged cryptocurrency scam that targeted multiple victims across Britain.

The 32-year-old athlete from Enfield, north London, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday as one of 10 defendants accused of being part of an organised crime group. Prosecutors allege the group operated a sophisticated fraud scheme involving phone calls to victims from individuals purporting to be police officers and cryptocurrency company representatives.

According to court documents, victims were deceived into sharing security details before discovering funds stored in their cryptocurrency wallets had been stolen. One victim is alleged to have lost more than £300,000 in the scam.

The case comes amid a sharp rise in cryptocurrency fraud across the UK. In 2024, cryptocurrency scams accounted for 66% of all investment fraud reports, with total investment fraud losses reaching £649 million. The trend has continued, with UK investment fraud losses increasing by 40% in 2025 to £221.5 million, driven partly by AI-powered scams targeting retail investors.

Globally, cryptocurrency scams received at least $14 billion on-chain in 2025, with an estimated $17 billion total stolen through crypto scams and fraud, according to blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.

Athletic career and doping controversy

Ujah made history in British athletics in 2014 when he became only the fifth British sprinter to break the 10-second barrier for the 100 metres, clocking 9.96 seconds. Three years later, he won 4x100m relay gold at the 2017 World Championships in London, where the British team set a European record with a time of 37.47 seconds, defeating the United States.

However, his career was overshadowed by a doping violation at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. After racing in the 4x100m relay final, Ujah tested positive for ostarine and S-23, both selective androgen receptor modulators that have muscle-building properties similar to anabolic steroids. The positive test led to Britain being stripped of their relay silver medal, with Canada upgraded to silver and China to bronze following a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling in February 2022.

Ujah's three teammates—Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake—also lost their Olympic medals as a result. The athlete was subsequently cleared of intentionally taking the prohibited substances and received a 22-month ban from the Athletics Integrity Unit and World Anti-Doping Agency, backdated to August 6, 2021 and ending on June 5, 2023, allowing him to return to competition.

Trial proceedings

Judge at Chelmsford Crown Court, the principal criminal court for Essex, set a 12-week trial beginning May 24 next year. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 9 at the same court.

The prosecution comes as UK law enforcement has demonstrated increased capability in tackling cryptocurrency crime. In November 2025, the Metropolitan Police secured convictions in the world's largest confirmed cryptocurrency seizure of over 61,000 Bitcoin valued at approximately £400 million.

All 10 defendants have entered not guilty pleas to the conspiracy to defraud charges.