British-Nigerian sprinter Chijundu Ujah charged over alleged crypto scam

British sprinter Chijindu “CJ” Ujah has been charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of a major police investigation into an alleged cryptocurrency scam that reportedly left one victim £300,000 out of pocket.

According to The Sun, Ujah, 32, who won 4x100m relay gold at the 2017 World Championships and Olympic silver in Tokyo (later stripped due to a doping violation), is one of ten suspects charged.

He appeared at Thanet Magistrates’ Court on April 30 and has been released on bail.

The suspects are alleged to be part of an organised crime group that targeted victims with phone calls from individuals pretending to be police officers and cryptocurrency company representatives.

Per the aforementioned outlet, victims were allegedly tricked into sharing security details, leading to funds being stolen from their crypto wallets.

The Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), assisted by Kent Police, City of London Police, and the Metropolitan Police, carried out coordinated raids across Kent, Essex, and London on April 29.

Ujah and the other defendants are due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 28.

Among those charged is fellow athlete Brandon Mingeli.

Ujah was born in Enfield, London, into a family who are originally from Nigeria. He grew up in Enfield and has one older sibling. He attended St Matthew's CE Primary School and Bishop Stopford's School alongside his brother.

Chijindu went on to study at Sir George Monoux College, a sixth form college in Walthamstow. He later graduated with a degree in sports science from Middlesex University.

Ujah has a notable athletic career, including double British 100m titles, but has faced previous controversy.

He was banned for 22 months after testing positive for prohibited substances at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, though he was later cleared of intentional doping. He has not raced competitively since 2024.

No plea has been entered at this stage, and the case is ongoing.