A fake crypto influencer received a real sentence: 15 months for a $1.4 million staking scheme
39-year-old Noman Salim from Queens and Levittown has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for orchestrating a sophisticated investment scam. The scheme, which operated from December 2020 to March 2021, was built on impersonating well-known crypto influencers on Telegram. In addition to the prison term, Judge Deborah K. Chasanu imposed three years of supervised release after his release.
The mechanics of the fraud were painfully familiar but executed at a high level. Salim cloned the usernames of popular personalities, creating fake public channels that thousands of users subscribed to. He then launched paid VIP chats with an entry fee of $500–600 in cryptocurrency. Victims believed they were communicating directly with a real market guru.
Fixed-yield scheme
For the second wave of the scam, Salim copied the profile of another influencer, expanding his audience. He offered staking with fixed yields for periods ranging from 30 to 90 days, promising higher payouts for large deposits. However, no actual investments were made—the funds simply ended up in wallets controlled by the fraudster. After receiving the crypto assets, he cut off communication and disappeared with the money.
According to the investigation, the scheme generated at least $1.4 million in cryptocurrency and fiat currency. A significant portion of this amount was returned by Salim to the state as part of a plea deal. He pleaded guilty in September 2025.
Expert opinion: This case is a stark reminder that anonymity on Telegram and trust in big names is a dangerous combination. U.S. authorities are demonstrating that even "crypto-anonymity" does not protect against justice, and investors should remember: staking with guaranteed returns from a stranger on the internet is 99% a scam. The market is becoming cleaner, but vigilance remains the key asset.