A Chinese businesswoman once nicknamed the “goddess of wealth” is facing a lengthy prison sentence in the United Kingdom after police uncovered what they described as the largest-ever cryptocurrency seizure Bitcoin worth more than $6 billion.
The 47-year-old, Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, was found to have defrauded over 128,000 victims in China between 2014 and 2017 through a large-scale Ponzi-style investment scheme.
According to UK prosecutors, Qian converted billions in stolen funds into Bitcoin and fled to Britain in 2018 using false documents, where she later attempted to launder the proceeds through luxury property purchases and high-end assets.
Qian pleaded guilty to acquiring and possessing criminal property on September 29, 2025, and faces up to 14 years in prison. Her sentencing is set for Monday and Tuesday at London’s Southwark Crown Court.
Her Malaysian associate, Seng Hok Ling, also 47, admitted to money laundering and will be sentenced alongside her. Another accomplice, Jian Wen, was convicted last year and sentenced to six years and eight months in prison after being linked to Bitcoin wallets worth over $2 billion.
Authorities said Qian led a complex Ponzi scheme, promising investors high returns while using new investments to pay earlier participants. Much of the fraudulently obtained money was later converted into cryptocurrency and hidden in digital wallets.
Police surveillance of co-defendant Ling led to Qian’s arrest in April 2024, resulting in the seizure of £11 million in cash, gold, and crypto assets. Before her arrest, investigators had already confiscated over 61,000 Bitcoins, valued at more than $6 billion believed to be the largest crypto seizure in global history.
Legal experts described the case as unprecedented. William Glover of Fieldfisher law firm called it “possibly the largest legal case of its kind involving an individual rather than a corporation.”
Victims’ lawyers said many investors were misled by Qian’s claims of government backing. Jackson Ng of Duan & Duan noted that “ordinary people, not experienced investors,” were particularly vulnerable.
One Chinese couple in their 40s reportedly lost hundreds of thousands of dollars they had saved for retirement and their daughter’s education. The family has since been torn apart by the fallout from the scam.
Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing in London’s High Court over a proposed compensation scheme for victims. Around 1,300 people have so far come forward, though many more are believed to have been affected.
The case has drawn international attention not only for its staggering financial scale but also for highlighting the growing intersection between crypto-assets and global financial crime.
