Money laundering charge after Bitcoin fraud

Posted on 27 May 2026, at 16:13 in In Court

The scales of justice and the words — In court

A 22-year-old man from London has appeared in court charged with a money laundering offence as part of an investigation into a Bitcoin fraud.

Rida Abdalla, of Matthias Road in Islington, was arrested at Heathrow on Tuesday 26 May.

He was charged with “concealing, converting and transferring criminal property” and appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 27 May.

Mr Abdalla was released on conditional court bail pending a further hearing at Bristol Crown Court on 6 July 2026.

The case relates to an investigation by Avon and Somerset Police’s Financial Investigation Unit following a referral by the national fraud reporting centre Action Fraud, now Report Fraud.

A woman from Bristol reported the loss of 3.16 Bitcoin to Report Fraud in June 2024, when the Bitcoin was worth £154,000.

If you are concerned about cybercrime and other fraud, you can find advice, information and support on the Report Fraud website.