Who is China’s cryptoqueen Qian Zhimin that pulled off a US$6.4 billion Ponzi scheme?

A Chinese woman described as a “super villain” who orchestrated a multibillion-dollar investment fraud to buy bitcoin was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in jail by a London judge on November 12, 2025. Qian Zhimin evaded arrest in China after fleeing to the Myanmar border and travelled through Southeast Asia and Europe using fake passports. She then settled in Britain under a fake name – Yadi Zhang. She was arrested as part of the largest bitcoin seizure ever by British police – now worth US$6.4 billion.