[New York Man Impersonates Crypto KOL to Commit $1.4 Million Fraud, Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison] Odaily Planet Daily News: A New York man has been sentenced by a U.S. court to 15 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release for impersonating a crypto influencer on Telegram and using false staking returns as bait to defraud investors. 39-year-old Noman Saleem pleaded guilty to wire fraud in September 2025. Prosecutors stated that he created multiple fake Telegram accounts, impersonated well-known crypto KOLs, and attracted thousands of people to join his channels, even setting up paid "VIP sub-channels." Saleem claimed to victims that they could earn "guaranteed returns" through crypto staking or investment opportunities, luring many to transfer crypto assets into wallets under his control. However, prosecutors revealed that he did not conduct any staking operations and instead ceased communication after obtaining the funds, absconding with the victims' assets. The case resulted in losses exceeding $1.4 million, and the U.S. government has recovered and seized most of the funds.