{"investigation":{"slug":"noman-saleem","entity_name":"Noman Saleem","trust_score":2,"severity_base":null,"score_modifier":0,"confidence":0.97,"status":"draft","content_type":"investigation","summary":"Noman Saleem, 39, of Queens and Levittown, New York, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges on September 30, 2025, and was sentenced on June 23, 2026 to 15 months in federal prison for impersonating well-known cryptocurrency influencers on Telegram to defraud investors of at least $1,415,067. Operating between December 2020 and March 2021, Saleem created fake Telegram channels mimicking legitimate influencers, charged victims $500–$600 for access to VIP subchannels, and falsely promised returns from cryptocurrency staking that never occurred. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland and investigated by the FBI Baltimore Field Office.","sections":[{"content":"On June 23, 2026, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow of the District of Maryland sentenced Noman Saleem to 15 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Saleem had previously pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on September 30, 2025. The charge carried a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The sentence handed down fell below the applicable federal sentencing guidelines range, suggesting the court weighed mitigating factors in Saleem's favor. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Evelyn L. Cusson of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland, under U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes. The FBI Baltimore Field Office, led by Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, conducted the investigation.","heading":"Criminal Conviction and Sentencing","sources":[{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","name":"DOJ USAO-MD: New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating Crypto Influencers In Investment Scam","type":"regulatory","credibility":1},{"url":"https://decrypt.co/371989/fake-crypto-influencer-gets-15-months-for-1-4m-telegram-staking-fraud","name":"Decrypt: Fake Crypto Influencer Gets 15 Months for $1.4M Telegram Staking Fraud","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://thefederalnewswire.com/stories/675600215-new-york-man-pleads-guilty-to-wire-fraud-involving-crypto-influencer-impersonation","name":"Federal Newswire: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Involving Crypto Influencer Impersonation","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"Between December 2020 and at least March 2021, Saleem executed a Telegram-based impersonation and investment fraud scheme. He created Telegram channel handles that replicated those used by real, well-known cryptocurrency influencers, attracting thousands of followers to public channels. Saleem then offered paid access to exclusive 'VIP' subchannels, charging each subscriber approximately $500 to $600 in cryptocurrency. Within these VIP channels, Saleem advertised cryptocurrency staking opportunities, promising returns over 30-to-90-day periods and claiming that larger deposits would yield proportionally greater profits. No actual cryptocurrency staking was ever performed. After accumulating victim funds into wallets under his sole control, Saleem ceased all communication with investors and absconded with their assets. At least one victim resided in Maryland, establishing federal jurisdiction for the District of Maryland prosecution. The specific identities of the influencers Saleem impersonated have not been publicly disclosed in court documents or press releases.","heading":"Scheme of Operation","sources":[{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-pleads-guilty-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","name":"DOJ USAO-MD: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating Crypto Influencers in Investment Scam","type":"regulatory","credibility":1},{"url":"https://decrypt.co/371989/fake-crypto-influencer-gets-15-months-for-1-4m-telegram-staking-fraud","name":"Decrypt: Fake Crypto Influencer Gets 15 Months for $1.4M Telegram Staking Fraud","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.investmentexecutive.com/news/regulation/fake-crypto-influencer-gets-jail-time/","name":"Investment Executive: Fake Crypto Influencer Gets Jail Time","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"Court documents state that Saleem obtained at least $1,415,067.14 in the equivalent of U.S. currency and cryptocurrency from victims during the scheme, though some reporting based on related civil forfeiture records places the figure at approximately $1,798,529. A civil forfeiture action filed May 7, 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (Case No. 1:24-cv-01323) targeted approximately 300 ETH held in a privately-hosted wallet with an address ending in D3E8 in the name of Noman Saleem. Saleem failed to contest the forfeiture action; the court entered a default on July 17, 2024, and a Default Judgment and Final Order of Forfeiture was issued by Judge Julie Rebecca Rubin on August 23, 2024. As part of the subsequent criminal plea agreement, the government also seized additional crypto and U.S. currency identified by prosecutors, recovering a substantial portion of the stolen assets.","heading":"Financial Impact and Asset Recovery","sources":[{"url":"https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/53435456/United_States_of_America_v_Approximately_300_ETH_held_in_a_privatelyhosted_wallet_ending_in_D3E8_in_the_name_of_Noman_Saleem","name":"PACER Monitor: United States v. Approximately 300 ETH (Case 1:24-cv-01323, Maryland District Court)","type":"court_filing","credibility":1},{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","name":"DOJ USAO-MD: New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating Crypto Influencers In Investment Scam","type":"regulatory","credibility":1},{"url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/noman-saleem-sentenced-crypto-fraud/","name":"Crypto Briefing: New York Man Noman Saleem Sentenced to 15 Months for $1M Crypto Fraud Scheme","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"critical"},{"content":"The Saleem case is documented by the U.S. Attorney's Office as an instance of the influencer impersonation vector on Telegram, a mechanism that remains among the most prevalent fraud tactics in the cryptocurrency space. The scheme exploited Telegram's lack of robust identity verification, enabling Saleem to replicate the appearance and communication style of legitimate public figures to an extent sufficient to attract thousands of followers and generate over $1.4 million in victim deposits. Investment Executive noted that the impersonation of crypto influencers — as opposed to traditional financial institutions or regulators — represented a relatively novel approach to investment fraud at the time of the scheme's operation in 2020–2021. The case demonstrates a recognizable attack pattern: establishment of a credible public presence, upselling to paid VIP access, extraction of funds under false promises of staking returns, and abrupt disappearance. The FBI Baltimore Field Office and DOJ continue to treat this vector as an active enforcement priority.","heading":"Influencer Impersonation as a Fraud Vector","sources":[{"url":"https://www.investmentexecutive.com/news/regulation/fake-crypto-influencer-gets-jail-time/","name":"Investment Executive: Fake Crypto Influencer Gets Jail Time","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/405850/new-york-man-sentenced-1-4-million-crypto-fraud-scheme-bogus-influencer-accounts","name":"The Block: New York Man Sentenced for $1.4 Million Crypto Fraud Scheme Using Bogus Influencer Accounts","type":"news_article","credibility":2},{"url":"https://decrypt.co/371989/fake-crypto-influencer-gets-15-months-for-1-4m-telegram-staking-fraud","name":"Decrypt: Fake Crypto Influencer Gets 15 Months for $1.4M Telegram Staking Fraud","type":"news_article","credibility":2}],"severity":"high"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2020-12","event":"Noman Saleem begins operating fake Telegram channels impersonating cryptocurrency influencers and soliciting victim funds under the guise of staking opportunities.","source":"DOJ USAO-MD Sentencing Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","date_original":"2020-12-01"},{"date":"2021-03","event":"Saleem ceases communication with victims and disappears with accumulated cryptocurrency and cash, ending the active phase of the fraud scheme.","source":"DOJ USAO-MD Sentencing Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","date_original":"2021-03-01"},{"date":"2024-05-07","event":"U.S. government files civil forfeiture action (Case No. 1:24-cv-01323) in the District of Maryland against approximately 300 ETH held in a privately-hosted wallet ending in D3E8 in the name of Noman Saleem.","source":"PACER Monitor: United States v. Approximately 300 ETH","source_url":"https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/53435456/United_States_of_America_v_Approximately_300_ETH_held_in_a_privatelyhosted_wallet_ending_in_D3E8_in_the_name_of_Noman_Saleem"},{"date":"2024-07-17","event":"Default entered in civil forfeiture case after Saleem fails to respond to the government's action.","source":"PACER Monitor: United States v. Approximately 300 ETH","source_url":"https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/53435456/United_States_of_America_v_Approximately_300_ETH_held_in_a_privatelyhosted_wallet_ending_in_D3E8_in_the_name_of_Noman_Saleem"},{"date":"2024-08-23","event":"Judge Julie Rebecca Rubin issues Default Judgment and Final Order of Forfeiture in civil case, transferring the approximately 300 ETH to the U.S. government.","source":"PACER Monitor: United States v. Approximately 300 ETH","source_url":"https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/53435456/United_States_of_America_v_Approximately_300_ETH_held_in_a_privatelyhosted_wallet_ending_in_D3E8_in_the_name_of_Noman_Saleem"},{"date":"2025-09-30","event":"Noman Saleem pleads guilty to one count of wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.","source":"DOJ USAO-MD Guilty Plea Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-pleads-guilty-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam"},{"date":"2026-06-23","event":"U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentences Noman Saleem to 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for wire fraud.","source":"DOJ USAO-MD Sentencing Press Release","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam"}],"sources_used":[{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","name":"DOJ USAO-MD: New York Man Sentenced to Prison for Impersonating Crypto Influencers In Investment Scam","type":"regulatory","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260625170916/https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-sentenced-prison-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","credibility":1,"archive_timestamp":"2026-06-25T17:09:16+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-pleads-guilty-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","name":"DOJ USAO-MD: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating Crypto Influencers in Investment Scam","type":"regulatory","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260524215004/https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/new-york-man-pleads-guilty-impersonating-crypto-influencers-investment-scam","credibility":1,"archive_timestamp":"2026-05-24T21:50:04+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/53435456/United_States_of_America_v_Approximately_300_ETH_held_in_a_privatelyhosted_wallet_ending_in_D3E8_in_the_name_of_Noman_Saleem","name":"PACER Monitor: United States v. 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