March 4, 2024
The UK Metropolitan Police seized 61,000 Bitcoin (currently worth $4B) from Jian Wen and Zhimin Qian in 2018, gaining access to the seized BTC in July 2021. Qian had reportedly purchased the Bitcoin with funds from an investment fraud committed in China between 2014 and 2017, and is an alleged fugitive from the Beijing authorities.
Statements from the Metropolitan Police match on-chain BTC flows during July 2021 which have now been added to our UK Government entity. Track the United Kingdom’s Bitcoin holdings on Arkham here.