Ajay Shinjin jailed two and a half years over $265,000 crypto SIM-swap fraud
Ajay Shinjin was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a SIM-swap fraud that stole nearly $265,000 in cryptocurrency, according to City of London Police.
A 25-year-old London man, Ajay Shinjin, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his role in a SIM-swap scheme that stole roughly £200,000 ($265,000) in cryptocurrency, according to City of London Police.[1][3][4][5]
Decrypt reported that the crypto theft took place after criminals hijacked BT customers' phone numbers in November 2021. Scammers transferred the phone numbers to SIM cards they controlled, allowing them to capture authentication codes from banks and crypto platforms. Four victims were targeted in total, with one person losing £130,000 and another losing £40,000, including £27,000 sent directly into a perpetrator's personal crypto wallet.[2][4]
According to police, Shinjin received more than £44,000 ($58,000) of the stolen proceeds. He spent the funds on luxury holidays to Dubai, a high-end apartment, and gold-plated teeth grills. The sentencing comes amid sharp growth in mobile account takeovers, with fraud prevention organization Cifas noting that reported SIM-swap cases across the UK jumped 402% in the first half of 2026.[1][2][3]
Key facts
- Ajay Shinjin was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for participating in a crypto SIM-swap scam, according to City of London Police.
- The scheme stole nearly £200,000 ($265,000) in cryptocurrency from four victims.
- The theft began in November 2021 when criminals hijacked BT customers' phone numbers to intercept verification codes for banking and crypto platforms.
- Shinjin received more than £44,000 ($58,000) of the funds and spent them on Dubai holidays, an upscale apartment, and gold-plated teeth grills.
- Individual victim losses included £130,000 for one person and £40,000 for another.
- Cifas reported that UK SIM-swap fraud cases rose by 402% in the first half of 2026.
Sources · 5 sources
- BT
Business Today@business_todayPost on X ·
₹2.54 crore crypto heist, Dubai holidays and gold-plated teeth: 25-year-old UK man gets 2.5 years for SIM-swap fraud https://t.co/t97BYyZF7U
Open source - W�
wyck 📴@wyckoffwebPost on X ·
Four people lost nearly $265,000 in crypto because scammers took control of their phone numbers. The scammers transferred the victims numbers to SIM cards they controlled. This allowed them to receive the verification codes sent by banks and crypto platforms. One victim lost £130,000. Another lost £40,000, with £27,000 ending up in one scammer's personal crypto wallet. That scammer spent his share on Dubai holidays, a luxury apartment and gold-plated teeth. He was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison yesterday. And according to Cifas, reported SIM-swap fraud cases in the UK increased by 402% in the first half of 2026.
Open source - TB
The Block@TheBlockCoPost on X ·
THE BLOCK: A UK man has been jailed for two and a half years for his role in SIM-swap fraud involving nearly £200,000 ($265,000) in stolen cryptocurrency, according to City of London Police. Ajay Shinjin received more than £44,000 ($58,000) of the proceeds, which he used to fund luxury holidays in Dubai, a high-end apartment, and gold-plated teeth grills.
Open source - DE
DecryptArticle ·
SIM-Swap Fraudster Who Spent Stolen Crypto on Gold Grills and Dubai Trips Jailed Ajay Shinjin helped steal nearly $265,000 in crypto after criminals hijacked BT customers' phone numbers in November 2021.
Open source - CO
CoinMarketCap@CoinMarketCapPost on X ·
LATEST: ⚖️ A London man was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a SIM-swap scheme that drained roughly $265,000 in crypto from victims, City of London Police says. https://t.co/f3QexKFtVQ
Open source