UK's First Criminal Conviction For Unregistered Crypto Activity

According to PANews, the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced on February 28 that Olumide Osunkoya operated a cryptocurrency ATM network without the necessary regulatory approval. Therese Chambers, the FCA's Executive Director of Enforcement and Market Oversight, stated that this marks the UK's first criminal conviction for unregistered cryptocurrency activity, sending a clear message that those who flout regulations and engage in criminal activities will face severe consequences. The FCA charged Osunkoya on September 10 of the previous year, accusing him of operating unregistered cryptocurrency ATMs through his company, GidiPlus Ltd, from December 2021 to March 2022 across 28 locations, processing transactions worth £2.6 million (approximately $3.14 million). The regulatory body claimed that he later transferred these ATMs from GidiPlus and personally operated up to 12 machines under false names and company identities to evade detection, failing to ensure they were not used for money laundering. Osunkoya is the first individual in the UK to be prosecuted for running an illegal cryptocurrency ATM network, and he pleaded guilty to five charges on September 30 of that year.