- Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, has been accused of orchestrating a massive fraud in China between 2014 and 2017, defrauding over 128,000 victims
- This is widely considered the single largest cryptocurrency seizure by law enforcement to date (in terms of amount of BTC seized)
- The seized Bitcoin is now valued at a multiple of its original worth at the time of the crime, meaning that UK authorities must decide what to do with the surplus
A Chinese national, Zhimin Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, has been accused of orchestrating a massive fraud in China between 2014 and 2017, defrauding over 128,000 victims .
Authorities allege that Qian converted much of the illegal proceeds into Bitcoin and hid them in wallets.
In a 2018 London raid, UK law enforcement seized 61,000 coins, to be exact. At current valuations, the seized assets are worth approximately $6.7 billion, making it one of the largest crypto seizures ever.
On September 29, 2025, Qian pleaded guilty in London’s Southwark Crown Court to two counts under UK law – acquiring criminal property and possessing criminal property. Another individual, Hok Seng Ling, also pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property in this scheme.
During the investigation, Qian fled China using fraudulent documents and resided in the UK. The laundering scheme reportedly involved purchasing properties and using intermediaries to hide the origin of funds.
Why does this matter?
This is widely considered the single largest cryptocurrency seizure by law enforcement to date (in terms of amount of BTC seized).
A seizure of this magnitude puts everyone on notice. If authorities can track and take billions in crypto from criminals, it might make other large holders nervous about how traceable and secure their own funds really are.
Furthermore, the fact that lawmakers could follow this huge amount of Bitcoin for years, even as it was moved and hidden, proves that tracking technology has gotten incredibly good. It’s much harder to conceal transactions on the blockchain than it used to be.
Because the seized Bitcoin is now worth so much more than when it was stolen, there’s a real possibility that the original victims could get some of their money back. In most big scam cases, the stolen money is long gone, but here, the growth of crypto itself might help make things right.
Could the UK keep Bitcoin?
The UK’s Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 allows victims to petition for the return of assets proven to be theirs. In this case, the 128,000 victims are likely to have their original investments repaid in full.
However, as the seized Bitcoin is now valued at a multiple of its original worth at the time of the crime, authorities are left with a multi-billion dollar question – what should be done with all the extra money?
The victims are likely to seek compensation that exceeds the original value of their losses, potentially including interest or additional damages.
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Conversely, the UK Crown Prosecution Service is expected to contend that any surplus constitutes criminal proceeds and is therefore subject to full forfeiture to the state.
In case of the latter, the Treasury could sell all seized BTC at auction, converting it into GBP (British Pound Sterling). This would instantly inject billions into the UK economy, potentially funding the NHS, tax relief, or public services.
If the UK holds Bitcoin, it could instantly become the world’s third-largest sovereign holder of BTC, after the US and China.
Whatever the case, the crypto community will likely be closely watching the resolution of this situation.
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