The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) secured £851,402.27 in confiscation orders against two men convicted of running a £1.5 million crypto investment fraud, with the recovered funds set to be returned to affected investors.
According to the official release published on Monday, at a hearing at Southwark Crown Court on September 28, 2026, Raymondip Bedi was ordered to pay £603,404.28, while Patrick Mavanga was ordered to pay £247,997.99. The FCA said it has identified and contacted victims and will distribute the money recovered through the confiscation process to those affected by the scheme.
At least 65 investors lost £1.54 million
Bedi and Mavanga operated the fraudulent investment scheme between February 2017 and June 2019. They cold-called consumers and persuaded them to invest in purported cryptoasset opportunities through companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.
At least 65 investors lost a combined £1,541,799, according to the FCA. The investments were presented as cryptoasset opportunities, but the FCA said the scheme was fraudulent. The latest court orders relate to the proceeds and available assets of the two men following their convictions.
Fraudsters were sentenced in 2025
The confiscation orders follow criminal proceedings brought by the FCA.
In July 2025, Bedi was sentenced to five years and four months in prison, while Mavanga received a six-year and six-month sentence for their roles in the fraud. The combined prison terms totaled 11 years and 10 months.
The FCA said the confiscation orders were made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Such orders require offenders to repay the benefit obtained from criminal conduct or the value of their available assets, whichever is lower.
Payment deadline could extend prison terms
The court has given both defendants three months to pay their respective confiscation orders.
If Bedi fails to pay, he could face up to an additional five years in prison. Mavanga could face up to two additional years if he does not satisfy his order. The additional imprisonment does not replace the financial obligation.
FCA to return recovered funds to victims
The FCA said it has already identified and contacted people affected by the fraud and will ensure recovered funds are returned through the confiscation process. Investors who believe they were affected but have not been contacted can reach the FCA through its Consumer Helpline.
The recovery process follows the regulator’s broader enforcement work against financial crime, with the FCA identifying the fight against financial crime as a priority in its five-year strategy.
FCA broadens crackdown on illegal crypto activity
The recovery comes as the FCA steps up enforcement against unregistered crypto businesses. On September 10, the regulator, HM Revenue & Customs and the Metropolitan Police Service issued cease-and-desist letters at three London premises suspected of operating illegal peer-to-peer crypto businesses. The FCA announced the action on September 17, its second such operation this year.
The FCA said conducting peer-to-peer crypto trading by way of business in the UK requires registration, but there are currently no FCA-registered P2P crypto businesses on the relevant register. The regulator cited money-laundering risks from operators outside the registration regime.
Also Read: Hong Kong Expands Financial Reporting Oversight to Crypto Firms
