Chinese takeaway worker laundered bitcoin from $6B scam, prosecutors
A former Chinese takeaway worker living in the UK has been accused of laundering bitcoin from a $6.3 billion China-based fraud by converting it into property and luxury goods. As reported by the Financial Times, 42-year-old Jian Wen has been charged with three counts of money laundering. She is accused of converting bitcoin on behalf of Yadi Zhang, real name Zhimin Qian, who allegedly stole $6.3 billion worth of funds through investment fraud. Zhang allegedly stole from 128,000 investors in China between 2014 and 2017 before authorities began pursuing her. It’s reported that she fled the country in 2017, converted the funds into bitcoin, flew to London, and adopted a false identity. She subsequently fled the UK and remains at large. Prosecutors claim Wen kept Zhang out of focus by acting as her “front person,” helping convert bitcoin into various luxury items, cash, and property “to disguise the true source of the funds.” Wen denies the charges, claiming she was Zhang’s car...