The Met Police have just pulled off the single largest cryptocurrency seizure ever recorded — Overover £5.5 billion in Bitcoin.

After a seven-year probe by the Met’s Economic Crime team into global money laundering, Zhimin Qian, 45, has been convicted for her leading role in the colossal scam.

How Qian Ran an Epic Bitcoin Fraud

• Between 2014 and 2017, Qian defrauded Moremore than 128,000 victims in China.
• She converted her ill-gotten gains into 61,000 Bitcoin.
• Qian fled to the UK using forged documents to dodge justice.
• In 2018, she tried to launder the stolen funds by buying property, aided by accomplice Jian Wen.

Guilty Plea and Police Praise

At england/england/southwark/”>southwark/”>Southwark Crown Court on 29 September, Qian admitted to acquiring and possessing criminal property linked to cryptocurrency.

“Today’s guilty plea marks the culmination of years of dedicated investigation by the Met’s Economic Crime Teamsteams and our partners,” said Will lyne/”>Lyne, Head of Economic and Cybercrime Command. “This is among the largest money laundering and cryptocurrency cases worldwide.”

Detective Sergeant Isabella Grotto, who led the painstaking investigation, added, “Locating Qian after five years on the run and building a case across multiple countries took relentless teamwork. We are proud to deliver justice for thousands of victims.”

Accomplice Jian Wen Jailed

Last year, Jian Wen was sentenced to nearly seven years for helping move a crypto wallet containing 150 Bitcoin—Worthworth £1.7 million at the time.

Met’s High-Tech Fight Against Crypto Crime

The landmark conviction highlights how Met Police’s cutting-edge technology and international cooperation are cracking down on serious organised crime tied to cryptocurrencies.

For more on the Met’s crime-fighting efforts, visit their A New Met for London initiative.