Fraud Victims Seek $4.3B in Seized Bitcoin from UK Authorities

Individuals who fell victim to an investment scam tied to a Chinese electronics firm are attempting to get back approximately $4.3 billion in Bitcoin held by UK authorities. In a letter to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they asked for assistance in negotiating with the British government for the restitution of the confiscated digital currency.

Tianjin Lantian Gerui Electronic Technology gathered $6.2 billion through an investment plan between 2014 and 2017. Now, this group is preparing to hand over nearly 2,500 signatures from affected individuals to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security.

In the U.K., officials confiscated Bitcoin worth around $4.3 billion after a failed attempt by ex-hospitality worker Jian Wen to launder funds and buy a $30-million mansion. This incident sparked an investigation, resulting in the discovery of 61,000 Bitcoins hidden at a house in the same year.

At first, Wen asserted that she had obtained Bitcoins through mining. However, she subsequently recanted this statement and revealed that they were a gift from Zhimin Qian, the alleged mastermind of the investment fraud scheme who had escaped to the U.K.

On March 20, Southwark Crown Court found Wen guilty of three money laundering offenses, even though he had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings.

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2024-04-12 15:48