Cyber Criminal and Drug Dealer Dan Aiyegbusi Jailed for Five Years
Dan Aiyegbusi, 23, from Leicester, has been locked up for five years following a sharp investigation by the Met’s Cyber Crime Unit (CCU). The career criminal admitted to a life of crime, never having worked a day, as he teamed up with hackers across the UK and abroad to launder stolen cash.
Hackers’ Accomplice Caught Laundering Stolen Funds
Aiyegbusi pleaded guilty to five counts of money laundering totalling £41,150. That’s not all—he was also found guilty of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine (Class A) and cannabis (Class B), both tied to county lines supply.
He faced additional charges for three counts of money laundering involving over £2 million but was acquitted in those after a December 2019 trial at Southwark Crown Court.
From Crack Cocaine to Cyber Crook – The Full Scope of Crime
Before his arrest by the CCU, Essex Police caught Aiyegbusi with 49 rocks of crack cocaine in colchester/" title="Colchester" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Colchester. Met officers later uncovered phones he controlled, loaded with evidence linking him to the organised drug trade.
Police traced a Facebook account under the fake name ‘Miyuwa Oluwafemi’ that Aiyegbusi used to advertise stolen bank logins and ‘cashing out’ fraud operations. The Cyber Defence Alliance flagged the account in 2018, sparking a joint investigation.
His Facebook posts flaunted stolen cash, luxury watches, and expensive cars to rope in ‘mules’—innocent people duped into letting him use their bank accounts to launder money.
Operation Katoko: Bringing Down a Cyber Crime Kingpin
The Met’s Operation Katoko deployed covert tactics and joined forces with banks like TSB and Barclays. Between 2017 and 2019, they identified nine confirmed victims, although hundreds more across the UK may have been targeted.
In June 2019, police arrested Aiyegbusi at his Luton home, seizing drugs, cash, and incriminating devices. He was charged soon after with multiple counts of money laundering and drug supply.
Detective Inspector Philip McInerney, Met Cyber Crime Unit: “Aiyegbusi didn’t have a care in the world as he stole people’s hard-earned cash and then flaunted it all over social media to boost his ego and brag about it.”
“He admitted in court that he had never worked a day in his life, instead ripping off innocent members of the public through large-scale cyber fraud.”
80-year-old victim: “I was so pleased to hear the good news, as this has caused me and my husband a lot of stress and worry.”
“I’d get countless calls pretending to be from a phone company saying there was a fault. I’ve been too scared to answer the phone since.”
Banking Giants and Cyber Defenders Unite
Barclays spokesperson: “We remain committed to supporting law enforcement to combat criminality and protect customers’ funds. We worked closely with the Met during this investigation and welcome today’s outcome.”
Steve Wilson, CEO of Cyber Defence Alliance: “Operation Katoko is a prime example of industry and law enforcement working as one to protect customers and crack down on organised cyber crime and money muling.”
“We provided actionable intelligence that helped the Met bring down a prolific criminal who thought he was untouchable.”
Ashley Hart, Head of Fraud, TSB Bank: “We’re proud of our close partnership with the Met Police, which has taken a serious offender off the streets. TSB uses every tool available to pursue fraudsters and protect our customers.”
