UK FCA Charges Four Individuals with £1.2M Binary Options Fraud

The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has charged four individuals for their involvement in a binary options investment that defrauded investors of £1.2 million. The four accused parties are Cameron Vickers, Raheel Mirza, Opeyemi Solaja (also called Opeyemi Olaja) and Reuben Akpojaro, the UK financial markets regulator announced on Tuesday.

The watchdog alleged that Vickers, Mirza, and Solaja between June 2016 and January 2020 ran a London-based investment company called Bespoke Markets. However, rather than invest the funds they collected from investors in the binary options they advertised, the individuals allegedly used the money to fund their lifestyles.

The FCA added that it had charged Akojaro, who also worked at the investment company, with the same offences. Furthermore, the regulator said it had charged Mirza alongside another individual, Taheer Sardar, for allegedly perverting the course of justice with regard to its investigation.

“The FCA alleges that between 31 July 2022 and 1 October 2022, the two men created a false document to influence the case. This was adjourned until 16 November 2022 for a Plea and Trial Preparation Heading,” the FCA explained.

Binary Options Ban

In the statement on Tuesday, the FCA emphasized that binary options trading among retail investors is prohibited in the United Kingdom due to the high risks involved. Additionally, Binary options are forbidden in the European Union (EU), Canada, Australia and Israel.

“Binary options are a high-risk ‘all-or-nothing’ type of investment which have been banned for retail use since 2019. The investor will attempt to predict whether an event will happen or not. If they win, they will see a return, but if they’re wrong, they’ll lose all their investment,” the FCA explained.

The regulator explained that the scheme carried out by the four individuals constitutes a criminal offence under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, and the country's common law. The FCA continued to explain that Section 19 of the FSMA outlines that an individual cannot executive a regulated activity in the UK unless authorized or exempted by the FCA. The section also prescribes a maximum sentence of two-year imprisonment for contravention.

On top of that, money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 attracts a fine and or imprisonment of up to 14 years upon conviction. The watchdog also noted that conspiracy to defraud under the country’s common law carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment once found guilty.