British sprinter and Olympian CJ Ujah has denied enjoying a component in an alleged cryptocurrency fraud.
The athlete, who competed on the 2016 and 2021 Olympic Video games, appeared amongst 9 others earlier than Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.
The group are accused of being a part of an organised crime group linked to a scam.
The rip-off was mentioned to have concerned cellphone calls to a number of victims from folks purporting to be cops and cryptocurrency firms.
Victims are reported to have been tricked into sharing vital safety particulars earlier than discovering funds saved in their crypto wallets had been stolen.
One of many victims is alleged to have misplaced greater than £300,000.
A collection of co-ordinated search warrants had been carried out throughout Kent, Essex and London on April 29 as a part of an investigation by the Japanese Area Particular Operations Unit (ERSOU).
Ujah, whose identify appeared in the courtroom listing as Chijindu Ujah and eight different defendants pleaded not responsible to conspiracy to defraud.
One other defendant, Joseph Umoru, will enter his plea at a later date.
A 12-week trial was set for Chelmsford Crown Courtroom from Might 24 subsequent yr.
The following courtroom listening to will likely be held on the identical courtroom on September 9.
One of many different defendants, Brandon Mingeli, denied an additional depend of changing prison property.
Mingeli pleaded responsible to 2 counts of possession of a false identification doc.
Ujah, 32, of Enfield, north London, grew to become solely the fifth Briton to interrupt the 10-second barrier for the 100 metres, operating 9.96 seconds in 2014.
He received 4x100m relay gold on the world championships in London in 2017.
On the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, he raced in the 4x100m remaining however examined constructive for 2 banned substances, which led to his crew being stripped of their silver medal.
He was subsequently cleared of deliberately taking prohibited substances.
The opposite defendants are Brandon Mingeli, 25, of Thamesmead, south-east London; Louis Richards-Miller, 24, of Greenwich, south-east London; Joseph Umoru, 24, of Abbey Wooden, south-east London; Adedeji Kujore, 24, of Erith, Kent; Taiwo Yusuf, 24, Kehinde Yusuf, 24, Jayden Nakayama, 25 – all from Greenwich; Samantha Gyabaa, 23, of Hackney, east London; and Jami Durston, 28, of Chelmsford, Essex.
