For six years, while evading authorities, Qian lived a life of luxury, traveling across Europe and spending fortunes. Record 61,000 Bitcoins and a life of luxury British authorities managed to seize 61,000 Bitcoins linked to fraud, valued at over $6 billion, which is considered a historic record in cryptocurrency-related crimes. After being investigated in China, Qian (47 years old, also identified as Yadi Zhang) fled her country in 2017 using fake documents and entered the United Kingdom. During her time on the run, Qian rented a luxury residence in London for around £17,000 a month (about USD 22,500) and bought, among other things, two watches valued at £120,000 (about USD 160,000). The fall in the United Kingdom Qian was discovered by authorities in 2018 when she attempted to acquire property in London and suspicions arose about the origin of her Bitcoins. She was found guilty of operating a Ponzi scheme, between 2014 and 2017, she defrauded about 128,000 people in China. The sentence will be announced this Tuesday at the Crown Court of Southwark, in London. Qian pleaded guilty in September to acquiring and possessing property obtained by criminal means. Another key collaborator, Jian Wen, who helped Qian rent the mansion and claimed to have a jewelry business, was already sentenced to six years and eight months in prison. Victims: farmers, taxi drivers, and housewives Qian's fraud attracted investors who were not finance experts, including 'farmers, taxi drivers, and housewives,' by falsely claiming to have official backing. Payments to investors ceased in 2017. Currently, about 1,300 alleged victims have filed a civil case in the High Court of London, seeking a compensation scheme. In a raid on her home, officers found computers with access to the vast cryptocurrency fortune. Her final arrest took place in the city of York in April 2024, after police tracked down her accomplice, Malaysian citizen Seng Hok Ling. Zhimin Qian, known as the 'Goddess of Wealth,' faces a possible sentence of up to 14 years in prison in the United Kingdom.
