The suspects' attempt to launder the bitcoins through the assets failed because they could not explain its source.
British authorities seized 61,000 bitcoins worth an estimated £1.4 billion (or $1.78 billion) linked to an investment scam in China, the Financial Times reported.
The mastermind behind the scam, Ximin Qian, converted part of the profits from a £5bn investment scam carried out in China between 2014 and 2017 into the top cryptocurrency to facilitate the seamless transfer of funds from the Asian country. slow
Kian, now identified as Yadi Zhang on a St Kitts and Nevis passport, moved to the UK in 2017. However, prosecutors said he has since fled the country and remains at large.
When Zhang enlisted Jian Wen's help in laundering money, the authorities discovered these fraudulent activities and eventually came to attention when he tried to buy a £23.5 million mansion in London. This led to a police raid on their £17,000-a-month rental flat, which led to the seizure of multiple digital wallets containing 61,000 bitcoins.
Although Vann was not involved in the original fraud, he is facing trial on three counts of money laundering. Prosecutors alleged that he helped Zhang convert the digital assets into cash, jewelry, and other luxury items as well as property, knowing they were the proceeds of crime.
Notably, their attempt to buy property, including a £12.5 million 8-bedroom house with a cinema and gym, failed with Bitcoin because they couldn't explain its source.
Wen pleads not guilty, claiming that he is merely looking out for Zhang.
Meanwhile, the seizure is in line with a broader trend by UK authorities to crack down on illegal cryptocurrency activity. On January 26, the National Crime Agency announced the seizure of $150 million linked to a multi-million dollar drug enterprise.
Source: CryptoSlate.com
