A China-based investment fraud and money laundering suspect is to pay back over £5 million.

It has been reported (Thursday, 22 January 2026) that a professional money launderer who assisted in laundering funds from a high-value investment fraud committed in China has been ordered to repay £5,603,305.81 or face additional jail time.   

CPS Confiscation Order against Seng Hok Ling

• The CPS, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service, have today secured a Confiscation Order against Seng Hok Ling following his money laundering conviction.
• The Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan police seizure of over 60,000 Bitcoin is the largest ever in the UK. Prosecutors have previously told the court that the sheer scale of the seized Bitcoin, the lack of any legitimate evidence of how it was acquired, and its connection to a massive investment fraud in China all indicate that it is criminal property.
• The Judge determined that he benefited in the sum of £5,603,305.81 from his criminal conduct and then made a Confiscation Order in the sum of his available assets, which were valued at £5,603,305.81.
• The Judge also ordered that if he fails to pay his Confiscation Order within three months, he could serve an additional eight years in prison.
• The majority of the assets in this case comprise the cryptocurrencies seized by the Metropolitan Police Service from devices seized from Ling at the time of his arrest.

BACKGROUND TO THE FRAUD AND MONEY LAUNDERING CONVICTIONS

• Zhimin Qian — also known as Yadi Zhang —
• was the mastermind of a massive China-based investment fraud (2014–2017) that defrauded over 128,000 victims and generated billions in illicit proceeds, much of it converted into Bitcoin. [uk.news.yahoo.com], [cps.gov.uk]
• After fleeing China in 2017 using false documents, she arrived in the UK. She required help converting and laundering her Bitcoin, purchasing assets, and evading law enforcement. At this time, Jian Wen and later Seng Hok Ling became involved. [independent.co.uk]
• Qian was the mastermind.
• Wen was the first launderer and facilitator.
• Ling was the replacement launderer and handler.
• Each played a successive role in helping move, conceal, and convert the proceeds of China’s largest known crypto-linked investment fraud.

PROSECUTIONS in 2024/25

• Seng Hok Ling, 47, after pleading guilty to one count of a money laundering-related offence at Southwark Crown Court, was sentenced to FOUR YEARS AND 11 MONTHS on 11 November 2025.[uk.news.yahoo.com]
• The main defendant in this criminal conspiracy
• Zhimin Qian (aka Yadi Zhang), 47, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 11 YEARS AND EIGHT MONTHS imprisonment after pleading guilty to two offences of money laundering at Southwark Crown Court on the same day as Ling.[uk.news.yahoo.com]
• This follows the prosecution IN early 2024 of
• Jan Wen (convicted and imprisoned for money laundering separately)   [news.sky.com]

Role of Jian Wen

• Wen acted as Qian’s assistant, interpreter, and front person in the UK.
• She helped Qian attempt to purchase high-value London real estate (e.g., £4.5m, £23.5m, £12.5m properties), which triggered AML red flags. [cps.gov.uk]
• Wen retrieved laptops from Thailand containing Bitcoin wallets holding tens of thousands of BTC linked to the fraud. [judiciary.uk]
• She laundered part of Qian’s holdings—specifically 150 Bitcoin, which led to her own conviction.

Wen was not involved in the original fraud but became a trusted facilitator who:

• Helped disguise Qian’s identity,
• Assisted with travel and luxury purchases,
• Tried to convert Bitcoin into assets.

When Wen was arrested in 2022 and later convicted (sentenced to 6 years and 8 months), Qian lost her key UK intermediary. [news.sky.com]

Role of Seng Hok Ling

After Wen’s arrest, Qian replaced her with Seng Hok Ling, who became her new operative in the UK.

• Ling received 67.7 BTC in February 2024 and 16 BTC in April 2024 from Qian and converted them into other cryptocurrencies (e.g., Tether). [uk.news.yahoo.com]
• He:
• Managed crypto conversions and transfers to the UAE,
• Withdrawn cash in the UK,
• Organised helpers,
• Booked Airbnbs,
• Assisted her in evading police,
• Helped obtain false identification documents. [uk.news.yahoo.com], [news.sky.com]

Nature of the Relationship

• Ling effectively served as Qian’s “butler”, facilitator, and clandestine support operative after Wen’s removal from the picture.
• Met Police surveillance of Ling eventually led to Qian’s arrest in York in April 2024. [news.sky.com]

How All Three Are Connected - Sequence of Criminal Collaboration

1. Qian (mastermind) runs a multibillion-pound fraud in China → converts proceeds to Bitcoin → flees to the UK.
2. Jian Wen becomes Qian’s first UK intermediary:
• Helps retrieve Bitcoin-loaded laptops.
• Aids attempt to buy UK assets.
• Launders part of the funds.
3. Wen is arrested and convicted (2022–2024) → Qian needs a new operative.
4. Seng Hok Ling replaces Wen:
• Receives large BTC transfers.
• Launders funds through crypto‑to‑crypto exchange and international transfers.
• Helps Qian avoid capture.
5. Ling’s surveillance leads authorities to Qian, resulting in both being arrested in April 2024.

KEY DETAILS FROM 22 January 2026 Press Release Fraud and economic crime International and organised crime CPS

Key facts

• Qian, between 2014 and 2017, was responsible for a massive investment fraud in China involving over 128,000 victims, some of whom invested their life savings and pensions.
• The investment fraud led to losses of approximately £600 million.
• She then went on to convert around £20.2 million of the illegally obtained money into Bitcoin.
• Qian then fled China and came to the UK, where she met Jian Wen (convicted and imprisoned for money laundering separately) and began to try to purchase high-value property and jewellery.
• https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/ex-takeaway-worker-ordered-pay-back-ps31m-after-money-laundering-conviction
• Wen was involved in laundering 150 Bitcoin, linked to a large-scale investment fraud in China.
• At the time relevant to the charge, the 150 BTC were valued at approximately £1.7 million. However, authorities also seized a far larger quantity (more than 61,000 BTC) believed to be linked to the same fraudulent scheme. [standard.co.uk]
• She acted as an intermediary, converting cryptocurrency into assets, including luxury properties and high-value jewellery.
• They made efforts to purchase properties in London, valued at £4.5 million, £23.5 million, and £12.5 million. Still, they were hampered by difficulties in converting sufficient Bitcoin into cash and by “know your customer” questions under anti-money laundering regulations.
• Qian fled and looked for someone else to help in translating for her and laundering the cryptocurrency.
• After Wen was arrested and incarcerated, Qian replaced her services with those provided by Seng Hok Ling, a Malaysian national who transferred approximately £2.5 million on her behalf.

Transactions

• Qian transferred a total of 67.7 Bitcoin to wallets controlled by Ling in February 2024, and then a further 16 Bitcoin were transferred to him in April 2024.
• After receiving the cryptocurrency, he then converted these into other cryptocurrencies, including Tether, the price for which is linked to the price of the US Dollar.
• Some of these funds were then transferred abroad and paid into bank accounts in the United Arab Emirates.
• Some of the cryptocurrencies held by Ling were sent to third parties and converted into cash, which was then withdrawn in the UK.

Confiscation Order against Seng Hok Ling

• The CPS, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service, have today secured a Confiscation Order against Seng Hok Ling following his money laundering conviction.
• The Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan police seizure of over 60,000 Bitcoin is the largest ever in the UK. Prosecutors have previously told the court that the sheer scale of the seized Bitcoin, the lack of any legitimate evidence of how it was acquired, and its connection to a massive investment fraud in China all indicate that it is criminal property.
• The Judge determined that he benefited in the sum of £5,603,305.81 from his criminal conduct and then made a Confiscation Order in the sum of his available assets, which were valued at £5,603,305.81.
• The Judge also ordered that if he fails to pay his Confiscation Order within three months, he could serve an additional eight years in prison.
• The majority of the assets in this case comprise the cryptocurrencies seized by the Metropolitan Police Service from devices seized from Ling at the time of his arrest.

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service Proceeds of Crime Division, said:

• “The CPS and the Metropolitan Police have successfully brought Senk Hok Ling to justice. Ling took part in a sophisticated money-laundering operation that laundered many millions of pounds in proceeds of crime. We have today secured a Confiscation Order against him of over £5 million, which he must pay within 3 months or risk being returned to prison for an additional 8 years.
• “In the last five years, over £478 million has been recovered from CPS-issued Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. Over £95 million of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation.”

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:

• “This order sends a clear message: we won’t allow crime to pay.
  “Those who launder money through cryptocurrency will be identified, prosecuted and face time behind bars if they don’t pay up.
• “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to recover criminal funds and bring offenders to justice.”
   

Notes to editors

• Adrian Foster is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division of the Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate
• Seng Hok Ling (DOB: 06/03/1978) of Morningside Walk, Matlock, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property and cryptocurrency and was sentenced to 4 years and 11 months at Southwark Crown Court.
• On Thursday, 22 January 2026, a Confiscation Order was made against him for £5,603,305.81, which was payable within three months. The default period of imprisonment was set at eight years.
• Time to pay 3 months in respect of the UAE accounts, the rest of the assets (all of which are in police possession, the seized cryptocurrencies and contents of the Binance wallet having all already been converted into sterling at this point – this amounted to £5,417,995.24 in total) to be paid today.
• Jian Wen (DOB: 25/12/1981) has been sentenced to six years and eight months at Southwark Crown Court for one count of money laundering. On Friday, 10 January 2025, a Confiscation Order was made against Wen for £3,126,572. The default period of imprisonment was set at seven years.
• Zhimin Qian (DOB: 04/09/1978) of no fixed address pleaded guilty to acquiring criminal property, namely cryptocurrency, and possessing criminal property, cryptocurrency, and was sentenced to 11 years and eight months at Southwark Crown Court.
• Her assets have been frozen as part of a Civil Recovery investigation, which is currently before the High Court, so she has no assets available to make a Confiscation Order.
• Where a defendant refuses to pay their Confiscation Order within the period permitted by the court, the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can invite a Judge to impose the default sentence of imprisonment in addition to their original sentence.
• The full debt owed continues to be recoverable until it is paid, even if the default period of imprisonment is imposed. Interest at a rate of 8% p.a. accrues on the Confiscation Order amount after the period allowed for payment expires.

SOURCE

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/professional-money-launderer-ordered-payback-over-ps5-million-after-large-scale-investment

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/ex-takeaway-worker-ordered-pay-back-ps31m-after-money-laundering-conviction