Canary Wharf fraudster jailed for SIM swap scam

Ajay Shinjin, aged 25 and residing in Canary Wharf, London, has been sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment. The sentencing took place at Inner London Crown Court on October 8, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property.

Shinjin employed a SIM swap scam in November 2021. This method allowed him to intercept security passcodes, thereby gaining unauthorised access to victims' cryptocurrency accounts. The court heard that he stole tens of thousands of pounds from several individuals.

Luxury Spending with Stolen Funds

The illicit funds were used to finance a lavish lifestyle. Shinjin spent a minimum of £44,000 on a luxury apartment, gold-plated teeth grills, and expensive holidays. One victim alone suffered a loss of £40,000 in cryptocurrency. Other victims lost £17,000 and £8,000 respectively.

BT identified that customer telephone numbers had been fraudulently transferred to SIM cards controlled by criminals. This technical evidence assisted in linking Shinjin to the device used in the fraudulent activity.

Shinjin, also known by the alias AJ Marley Cruz, was arrested at Heathrow Airport in October 2023. He had been returning from Dubai, where he had been taking holidays funded by the stolen money. He is currently serving a separate prison sentence and is not due for release until 2028. His new sentence will be served consecutively to his existing term.