61,000 BTC, $7.3 billion: UK police seize Bitcoin hoard

British police report the largest crypto seizure in the country's history: Around 61,000 Bitcoin with a current value of approximately $7.3 billion were seized.
The digital treasure belonged to Chinese citizen Zhimin Qian, who defrauded more than 128,000 people in China of their money between 2014 and 2017 through a massive fraud scheme. Qian attempted to launder the illegally acquired BTC by purchasing luxury properties after fleeing to the United Kingdom.
After a seven-year, internationally coordinated investigation and Qian's confession, the assets have now been finally secured. The seizure has virtually doubled the British government's Bitcoin holdings.
The case is politically charged due to the discussion about a possible national “crypto reserve,” recently proposed by Nigel Farage. The seized coins could lay the foundation for this. The case marks a milestone in the fight against crypto crime and sets new standards for the international prosecution of digital financial crimes.

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