Fake Uber Driver Arrested for Stealing $300,000 in Cryptocurrency from Passengers

A man posing as an Uber driver in the United States has been arrested after allegedly stealing around $300,000 worth of cryptocurrency from two unsuspecting passengers.

Nuruhussein Hussein reportedly lured victims outside a hotel on two separate occasions, once in March and again in October, by posing as the Uber driver they had ordered and greeting them by name.

Once the passengers were inside the car, Hussein allegedly asked to borrow their phones, claiming his device was broken. In another instance, he offered to troubleshoot the Uber app after the passenger questioned the driver’s location. Authorities say Hussein then used the borrowed phones to transfer cryptocurrency from the victims’ Coinbase accounts to cold storage.

When one victim became suspicious and requested their phone back, Hussein reportedly threatened them, saying they should “chill or something bad would happen.” On December 11, Hussein was arrested by local police and special agents from the US Secret Service, facing charges of theft, fraud, and money laundering.

Hussein was granted a $200,000 cash bond, with the stipulation of electronic monitoring if he can pay the bond. Authorities have also restricted his internet usage and overseas travel due to concerns he may flee to Ethiopia, where he is known to travel frequently. He is scheduled to return to court on December 18.