American Tourist Loses $123,000 Crypto Fortune in London Uber Scam

Jacob Irwin-Cline, a 30-year-old American tourist, was drugged and robbed by a fake Uber driver in London, resulting in the loss of his entire crypto fortune worth $123,000. The incident occurred on May 9, during a two-day layover in the UK. Irwin-Cline, a former software developer from Portland, Oregon, had been drinking at The Roxy on Rathbone Place in Soho before calling an Uber to return to his hostel at 1:30 AM.

A driver claiming to be “Mohammed” flagged him down outside the bar. The man appeared to match the photo on Irwin-Cline’s Uber app and knew his alias name. However, CCTV footage later revealed the vehicle was a dark sedan, not the Toyota Prius listed in the app. Irwin-Cline got into the front passenger seat at the driver’s request. During the journey, the driver offered Irwin-Cline a cigarette, which he accepted despite saying he had quit smoking. The cigarette was allegedly laced with a powerful sedative, causing Irwin-Cline to quickly become disoriented and pass out for 20 to 30 minutes.

While unconscious, the driver requested his phone for directions and obtained his passcode. The victim remembers being “really docile” and giving access to multiple applications. When Irwin-Cline regained consciousness in an unfamiliar neighborhood, he noticed maps on his phone but no active navigation. The driver immediately hit the brakes hard when he saw the victim waking up. The driver then asked Irwin-Cline to exit the car and open the trunk. Under the drug’s influence, the victim complied without questioning the strange request. As Irwin-Cline got out, the driver accelerated and struck him with the vehicle. The impact scraped his leg and left him unable to walk for several days. The incident occurred near Childs Way in Golders Green. A kind stranger helped arrange a taxi to take Irwin-Cline back to his hostel.

Back at his accommodation, Irwin-Cline discovered his laptop had been remotely wiped. He spent three sleepless days trying to regain access to his accounts with help from a flatmate in America. The thieves had drained $123,000 from his cryptocurrency wallets. This represented the majority of his wealth, which he had built through early Bitcoin investments as a teenager. Irwin-Cline contacted the FBI’s cybercrime team for assistance. However, he estimates there is less than a 1% chance of recovering any of the stolen funds. He attempted to obtain toxicology reports from hospitals and police but no tests were ordered. The suspected drug, scopolamine, leaves the body within 12 hours making detection difficult.

Scopolamine, known as “Devil’s Breath,” is a powerful sedative that causes blackouts and makes victims compliant. The drug is common in South America but rarely seen in the UK. One notable London case involved a dancer who died from a scopolamine overdose administered by robbers who attempted to buy £62,000 worth of diamonds using his details. The FBI cybercrime unit is investigating Irwin-Cline’s case, though recovery prospects remain poor given the anonymous nature of cryptocurrency transactions. This incident is part of a growing trend of crypto-related crimes targeting investors and tourists.