A federal judge handed down a prison term for wire fraud tied to a Telegram-based cryptocurrency scam.
A U.S. District Judge sentenced Noman Saleem, 39, to 15 months in federal prison for a $1.4M wire-fraud scheme involving fake crypto influencer activity. Saleem impersonated popular figures to deceive investors on Telegram, according to court documents.
The case highlights rising regulatory scrutiny of social media-driven crypto scams, which have surged alongside digital asset adoption. No prior sentencing details or investor losses beyond the $1.4M figure were disclosed in the release.
The ruling underscores enforcement actions targeting fraudulent schemes in decentralized finance and influencer-led investment promotions.