A Chinese woman has been found guilty after an international fraud probe that uncovered what is believed to be the world’s largest cryptocurrency seizure.
The Metropolitan Police revealed it recovered 61,000 bitcoin, valued at over £5bn ($6.7bn) at today’s prices.
Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, admitted on Monday at Southwark Crown Court to illegally acquiring and holding the massive cryptocurrency stash.
According to the Met, between 2014 and 2017 she masterminded a huge scam in China that defrauded more than 128,000 victims, later hiding the stolen wealth in bitcoin.
Her guilty plea comes after a seven year investigation into a global money laundering network that began with a tipoff about the transfer of illicit assets, the force added.
Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto, who led the investigation, said Qian had been “evading justice” for five years before being arrested in a complex operation spanning multiple countries.
Police said she fled China with fake documents and entered the UK, where she tried to wash the stolen billions through luxury property purchases.
