A girl has been convicted in what’s believed to be the world’s “single largest” Bitcoin seizure, stated London’s Metropolitan Police.
Zhimin Qian, also referred to as Yadi Zhang, is a Chinese language nationwide who pleaded responsible to buying and possessing legal property, i.e., Bitcoin, within the Southwark Crown Court docket on Sep. 29.
Associated: What’s Crypto? Cryptocurrency defined
As per the assertion, the Met’s Financial Crime staff launched an inquiry into worldwide cash laundering in 2018, which revealed that the 47-year-old girl defrauded over 128,000 victims in China throughout 2014-2017 and put all of the illicit funds in Bitcoin property.
The girl then fled China utilizing false paperwork and entered the UK. 5 years in the past, she tried to launder the proceeds from legal exercise by shopping for property within the U.Ok. in September 2018.
The Met seized 61,000 Bitcoin, price $6.7 billion on Sep. 29, from Qian in what’s believed to be the world’s single largest cryptocurrency seizure, the assertion learn.
Jian Wen, who assisted Qian, was additionally jailed for her position within the legal operation in 2024. Wen had been concerned in facilitating the switch of a crypto pockets containing 150 Bitcoin, Met stated. She was sentenced to six years and eight months in Might final 12 months.
Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto, who led the Met’s investigation, stated, “When our staff situated Zhimin Qian, she had been evading justice for 5 years, and her arrest triggered a fancy investigation requiring proof from a number of jurisdictions and the cautious assessment of 1000’s of paperwork… At this time’s plea displays years of laborious work throughout each the UK and China.”
Robin Weyell, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, stated, “Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies are more and more being utilized by organised criminals to disguise and switch property, in order that fraudsters could get pleasure from the advantages of their legal conduct. This case, involving the most important cryptocurrency seizure within the UK, illustrates the size of legal proceeds obtainable to these fraudsters.”
As per Kraken’s value feed, Bitcoin was exchanging fingers at $113,113.59 on the time of writing, up greater than 75% in a 12 months.
This story was initially reported by TheStreet on Sep 30, 2025, the place it first appeared within the MARKETS part. Add TheStreet as a Most popular Supply by clicking right here.
