• Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Travel
  • Weather
  • Sport
Bath Echo
  • Wednesday 9th July 2025
  • Subscribe
  • Opinion
  • Reviews
  • Letters
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Latest Issue
  • Jobs
  • Awards
Bath Echo

Bath, GB

  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Travel
  • Weather
  • Sport
Home
News Headlines
Crime

Two men from Bath arrested as part of £22million cyber fraud investigation

Tuesday 25th June 2019 Bath Echo News Team Crime

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share

Six people, including two from Bath, have been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of more than £22m worth of cryptocurrency from an estimated four thousand-plus victims worldwide.

A policeman holding a radio

The investigation was led by the South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit (SW RCCU) and police in the Netherlands.

The five men and one woman were arrested in simultaneous warrants at 7am this morning, Tuesday 25th June, at their homes in Charlcombe and Lower Weston in Bath, Staverton in Wiltshire, and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

The ongoing investigation relates to ‘typosquatting’, where a well-known online cryptocurrency exchange is ‘spoofed’ – or recreated to imitate the genuine site – to gain access to victims’ bitcoin wallets, stealing their funds and login details.

Detective Inspector Louise Boyce from the SW RCCU said: “Today’s warrants were the result of 14 months of investigation by my team, closely assisted by colleagues in Europol, Eurojust, the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT) and the National Crime Agency (NCA).

“The investigation has grown from a single report of £17k worth of bitcoin stolen from a Wiltshire-based victim to a current estimate of more than 4000 victims in at least 12 countries. We expect that number to grow.

“As part of today’s operation, we’ve seized a large number of devices, equipment and valuable assets with huge support from our colleagues in Avon and Somerset Police, Wiltshire Police, Tarian and the South East ROCU.

“Devon and Cornwall and the Metropolitan Police also provided vital help in the form of their two cyber dogs, who played key roles in searching suspects’ homes.”

All three South West-based men; a 33-year-old from Charlcombe, a 30-year-old from Lower Weston and a 37-year-old from Staverton, Wiltshire, were arrested on suspicion of committing computer misuse and money laundering offences.

The suspects in the Netherlands were arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

The devices and equipment seized will now be examined by the South West Regional Cyber Crime Unit.

Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of cryptocurrency theft should contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or online at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/.

Share
Tweet
WhatsApp
Pin
Share
Next article Local novelist celebrates reading scheme success with Bath schoolchildren
Previous article Bath College set to offer new technical T Level qualifications from 2021

Related Stories

Continued efforts to drive down crime in the Julian Road area
Tuesday 8th July 2025

Continued efforts to drive down crime in the Julian Road area

Local man is spared jail after admitting to strangling his partner
Monday 7th July 2025

Local man is spared jail after admitting to strangling his partner

Woman jailed for racial assaults and list of shoplifting offences
Monday 7th July 2025

Woman jailed for racial assaults and list of shoplifting offences

...
Followers
Follow
...
Followers
Follow
...
Followers
Follow

Top Stories

Odd Down to open Western League season at Cadbury Heath

Odd Down to open Western League season at Cadbury Heath

Tuesday 8th July 2025
Council pushes ahead with business waste changes despite risks

Council pushes ahead with business waste changes despite risks

Tuesday 8th July 2025
Groups invited to find out more about local renewable energy

Groups invited to find out more about local renewable energy

Tuesday 8th July 2025
Bungalow set to be demolished and ‘contemporary’ home built

Bungalow set to be demolished and ‘contemporary’ home built

Tuesday 8th July 2025
Continued efforts to drive down crime in the Julian Road area

Continued efforts to drive down crime in the Julian Road area

Tuesday 8th July 2025
  • Business
  • Community
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • What’s On
  • Travel
  • Weather
  • Sport
  • Back to top
Created by Media Bath - Regulated by IMPRESS

About the Bath Echo | Your City, Your News

We're your local independent newspaper covering news and events across beautiful Bath and the close surrounding villages. We're here to help keep Bathonians in the know about what's going on in their city.

Useful Info

  • House Rules
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Complaints Policy
  • Social Media Policy
© Bath Echo 2025. All rights reserved.
Produced by Media Bath Limited