Olympic sprinter Ujah denies cryptocurrency fraud

British sprinter and Olympian CJ Ujah has denied playing a part in an alleged cryptocurrency fraud.

The athlete was among 10 people who appeared before Chelmsford Crown Court accused of being part of an organised crime group linked to a scamming activity.

The alleged fraud involved phone calls to multiple victims from people purporting to be police officers and cryptocurrency companies.

The 32-year-old from Enfield, north London, became the fifth Briton to break the 10-second barrier for the 100m in 2014.

One of the alleged victims is said to have lost more than £300,000.

People are reported to have been tricked into sharing important security details before discovering funds stored in their crypto wallets were stolen.

A series of co-ordinated search warrants were carried out across Kent, Essex and London on 29 April as part of an investigation by a specialist regional policing organisation tackling serious and organised crime across eastern England.

A 12-week trial was set for Chelmsford Crown Court from 24 May next year, with the next court hearing due to be held at the same court on 9 September.

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Ujah raced in the 4x100m final but tested positive for two banned substances that led to his team being stripped of their silver medal.

He was subsequently cleared of intentionally taking prohibited substances.

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