Carpiuc’s barrister Shahid Rashid said his client was “always the money man”.
He told the court: “His function was to realise the cryptocurrency. It is also important he was not going to get anything out of it. His motivation was helping a friend out who needed money desperately for his father’s medical treatment.”
Counter Terrorism Policing London said it has found no evidence linking any specific person, group or organisation to the El Money social media account.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of CTP London, said: “The prison sentences in this case reflect the incredibly reckless actions of the two men involved.
“I would like to praise the swift work of the investigation team who identified the men involved within a few days of the fires. Crimes, such as arson, being directed by anonymous online accounts promising payment is a recurring trend in our casework.
“Our message to anyone who might be approached in this way, or thinking about doing similar, is to think again. As we’ve seen here, you will not get paid as you are promised; you will be identified and brought to justice, and the only thing you will be left with is facing the prospect of a lengthy jail sentence.”