- Film stuntman Felix Leech lost nearly £50,000 to sophisticated cryptocurrency scammers operating through WhatsApp and fake trading platforms.
- Scammers used tactics including small initial payouts, fake regulatory fees, and threats of legal action to manipulate the victim into transferring more funds.
- With help from the National Fraud Helpline, Leech has recovered £11,000 from Lloyds Bank and is pursuing additional reimbursement through the Financial Services Ombudsman.
A professional stuntman who has worked on blockbuster films including Paddington 2 and Star Wars has fallen victim to an elaborate cryptocurrency scam, losing nearly £50,000 in what he describes as a “mafia stronghold” operation. Felix Leech, 34, was lured into a fraudulent investment scheme after seeing an advertisement on Instagram that directed him to a WhatsApp trading group.
The London-based stuntman, who doubled for Hugh Bonneville in Paddington 2 and has appeared in major productions like Game of Thrones, The Batman, and Aquaman 2, initially invested a modest £1,000 in what he believed was a legitimate cryptocurrency trading platform operated by Luno Money Limited.
Scammers employed a classic confidence-building technique by allowing Leech to successfully withdraw small amounts of £40 and £50 early in the scheme. This tactic, commonly known as “baiting” in fraud circles, convinced him of the platform’s legitimacy and encouraged larger investments.
“They had a bit of a mafia stranglehold on me. I was like ‘I have to do what they say because my money’s in there and I can’t get it out’,” Leech explained, describing how the fraudsters maintained psychological control.
Over the following month, Leech transferred thousands more as fraudsters showed him fabricated profits in his bogus account. When he attempted to withdraw his supposed earnings, the criminals implemented the next phase of their scheme – demanding substantial fees for fictitious regulatory requirements including alleged money laundering regulations, capital gains tax, and a £20,000 fine for purported insider trading.
The Wembley resident ultimately invested £48,000 into the fraudulent operation, including his entire savings, credit card borrowings, and a £10,000 loan from Lloyds. It wasn’t until he confided in his uncle about the situation that he realized he had fallen victim to a sophisticated scam.
“I was constantly asking the organiser in the WhatsApp group ‘is this the last payment? It better be the last payment’,” Leech recounted, describing his growing desperation as he continued making payments while being encouraged by other fake traders who were complicit in the fraud.
By October 2024, both the WhatsApp group and associated scam websites had disappeared, leaving Leech with the “sickening” realization that his money was gone.
Leo McGowan, a lawyer at the National Fraud Helpline assisting Leech, highlighted the particularly malicious nature of the scam: “This was a particularly nasty scam because the fraudsters tried to frighten Felix into believing that he had done something wrong and may have committed a crime. The scammers will use any trick that can to try and get money out of people, including intimidation.”
With the organization’s assistance, Leech has managed to recoup £11,000 from Lloyds and is now pursuing additional recovery through the Financial Services Ombudsman. The recovered funds have allowed him to clear his debts, providing some financial relief after six months of financial strain.
“It’s helped massively, I’ve paid off all the loans and credit card debts and for the first time in six months I’m financially free. If I could get the rest back it would be a mind-blower,” said Leech, who performed the notable stunt in Paddington 2 where Bonneville’s character straddled two trains.
This case highlights the increasing sophistication of cryptocurrency Scams targeting individuals across various professions and income levels. Experts advise that legitimate cryptocurrency platforms never request additional fees to release funds and warn that promises of extraordinary returns with minimal risk should be treated with extreme caution.
✅ Follow BITNEWSBOT on Telegram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X.com, and Google News for instant updates.
Previous Articles:
- Clore to Burn 300M Coins, Caps Rewards Following POS Transition
- Goldman’s Next CEO Waldron Pushes for Bitcoin Services as Demand Rises
- DWF Labs Launches $250M Fund for Mid and Large-Cap Crypto Projects
- Bitcoin ETFs break 5-week outflow streak, see $744M influx in one week
- DefiTax.us Launches to Simplify Crypto Tax Reporting Amid U.S. Adoption
