Overview
- Southwark Crown Court sentenced Qian to 11 years and 8 months, with Judge Sally‑Ann Hales describing her motive as “pure greed.”
- A 47‑year‑old Malaysian co‑defendant, identified in reporting as Seng Hok Ling, received a prison term of four years and eleven months.
- Qian pleaded guilty in late September to possessing and transferring criminal property, while the UK case did not try the alleged Blue Sky investor fraud in China that drew in roughly 128,000 to 130,000 people.
- British police, working with Chinese authorities, seized 61,000 bitcoins now valued at more than $6 billion, the largest crypto asset seizure reported in the UK.
- Courts are expected to handle asset disposition next year, with unresolved issues over tracing claims, whether payouts reflect original losses or current value, and reported friction over whether the UK or China controls the cache.