Key takeaways:
- Noman Saleem was sentenced to 15 months in prison for cryptocurrency fraud.
- He impersonated influencers on Telegram and offered fake staking with “guaranteed profits.”
- In this way, he extorted at least USD 1.4 million from investors.
- The case shows the growing scale of fraud using the popularity of cryptocurrencies and social media.
Cryptocurrency scammer on Telegram
The workflow was relatively simple but effective. Saleem created Telegram accounts that closely resembled the profiles of popular figures from the cryptocurrency world. Thanks to this, he gained the trust of users and built a community of thousands of followers.
In private messages, the scammer promoted a fake staking program, promising high and “guaranteed” profits over a period of 30 to 90 days. In fact, no staking took place – the funds went directly to wallets controlled by Saleem.
Since December 2020, he has managed to extort at least USD 1.4 million in cryptocurrencies and cash in this way. After receiving the money, he broke off contact with the victims and disappeared.
The case was prosecuted by the FBI in Baltimore and sentenced by federal judge Deborah K. Chasanow. After pleading guilty last September, some of the stolen funds were recovered by law enforcement.
Don’t give in to criminals
Saleem’s case is another example of the growing number of scams using cryptocurrencies and social media. Criminals are increasingly using recognizable names and promises of passive income to authenticate their actions and attract victims.
To avoid falling victim to similar schemes, investors should be especially careful. It is crucial to avoid offers of “guaranteed profits” because in the financial world such promises almost always constitute a scam. You should carefully verify the identity of people contacting you on social media, do not trust private messages from supposed influencers, and never send funds to unknown wallets without full certainty of their credibility. Additionally, it is worth using only reputable platforms and applying the principle of limited trust – even towards well-known names.
Crime related to cryptocurrencies in Poland is growing dynamically and takes various forms – from simple investment frauds to advanced cyberattacks. According to the prosecutor’s office data, over 16,000 cases were conducted between 2019 and 2025. cases related to cryptocurrencies, and the victims’ losses amounted to approximately PLN 2.3 billion, with the number of victims exceeding 57,000. The most common crimes are fake investment platforms, pyramid schemes, phishing and the so-called pig butchering (long-term manipulation of the victim and extorting large amounts of money).
