Key Highlights
- Ajay Shinjin was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison at Inner London Crown Court on October 8.
- Police said the SIM-swap operation resulted in nearly £200,000 in cryptocurrency being stolen from four victims.
- Shinjin received more than £44,000 of the stolen funds, including around £27,000 from one victim and £17,000 from another.
A 25-year-old man has been jailed for two and a half years after police linked him to a SIM-swap operation that stole nearly £200,000 in cryptocurrency from four victims in November 2021.
According to a City of London Police report published on October 8, the operation resulted in nearly £200,000 ($264,200) worth of cryptocurrency being stolen, with Ajay Shinjin, also known as AJ Marley Cruz, receiving more than £44,000 ($58,124) of the funds.
Police said Shinjin used the stolen funds to fund luxury holidays in Dubai, a high-end apartment, and gold-plated teeth grills. Shinjin pleaded guilty on September 28 to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property. He was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on October 8, 2026.
Police linked Shinjin to four SIM-swap devices
The investigation began after BT identified unauthorized activity in November 2021 involving customer telephone numbers being transferred to SIM cards controlled by criminals. SIM swapping allows criminals to take control of a victim’s phone number. Once a number is transferred, criminals can receive one-time passcodes sent by SMS and potentially use them to access bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets.
During its investigation, BT identified devices used to receive the transferred telephone numbers. Police said the devices were eSIM-enabled phones with two IMEI numbers. Data provided by BT helped investigators identify several suspects, including Shinjin, who was linked to four SIM-swap devices.
The victims connected to the investigation reported the crimes during the first week of November 2021.
Four victims lost cryptocurrency
Police identified four victims whose cryptocurrency was stolen during the SIM-swap incidents. One victim lost around £40,000 ($52,840) in cryptocurrency on November 2, 2021. Police said approximately £27,000 ($35,667) was later transferred to Shinjin’s personal crypto account.
A second victim lost around £17,000 ($22,457) between November 5 and 7, with the entire amount later found in Shinjin’s personal crypto wallet.
A third victim had approximately £8,000 ($10,568) taken from a Coinbase account on November 3. Police said Shinjin facilitated the theft, although the funds were subsequently sent elsewhere.
The largest loss involved a fourth victim, who had approximately £130,000 ($171,730) worth of cryptocurrency stolen between November 6 and 7. Police said Shinjin also facilitated that theft.
Shinjin was arrested in 2021 and 2023
Shinjin was first arrested at his flat in 2021 during the investigation. He was later re-arrested at Heathrow Airport in October 2023 after further evidence came to light following his return from Dubai.
During police interviews, Shinjin gave no comment to any questions put to him.Police highlight SIM-swap risks
Detective Constable Simon Ardeman of the City of London Police described the case as a calculated fraud that caused financial losses to multiple victims.
“SIM-swap fraud is a sophisticated and increasingly concerning form of offending, and this case demonstrates the devastating consequences it can have for victims,” Ardeman said.
He added that the conviction demonstrates that technology-assisted fraud can be investigated and prosecuted.
Other recent crypto fraud cases
The case follows several recent cryptocurrency-related fraud investigations and arrests in other countries.
On October 6, Israeli authorities arrested crypto trader Adiel Miyost over allegations including tax evasion, money laundering, and undeclared cryptocurrency trading income. A court extended his detention until October 11. The allegations have not been established in court.
Earlier, on October 3, Greek police arrested 17 people in connection with an alleged cryptocurrency investment scheme. Authorities said the scheme attracted at least 10,000 participants and involved more than $8 million flowing through the platform.
The Shinjin case highlights how control over a victim’s mobile number can be used to gain access to accounts and redirect cryptocurrency funds. The City of London Police investigation resulted in a conviction more than four years after the reported thefts.
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