Marketplace All-in-One 'Cryptoqueen' facing jail after huge bitcoin seizure
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Nov 11, 2025 Tony Hahn, a BBC reporter who broke the Bitcoin fraud story, joins fellow correspondent Archana Shukla. They discuss the shocking conviction of Qian Zhimin, who attempted to launder billions in Bitcoin. Hahn reveals chilling investor testimonials, detailing their journeys from financial hope to devastating collapse. He also shares the dramatic UK police raid that uncovered the largest crypto seizure ever. Shukla shifts gears to the economic fallout of US tariffs on Indian shrimp farmers, highlighting their struggles and the sharp decline in prices.
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Promised Windfall That Ruined Lives
- Qian Zhimin ran Lan Tian Ge Rui and promised massive returns that attracted over 100,000 Chinese investors.
- Tony Hahn describes how early daily payouts convinced people before the 2017 collapse left many in debt and broken families.
Investor Who Lost Everything
- A victim called Yu took loans and invested everything, receiving daily returns until the scheme collapsed in 2017.
- William Lee Adams and Tony Hahn report his marriage broke down and he was left mired in debt.
Flight, Conversion Attempts, And Seizure
- Qian fled China to the UK carrying a laptop filled with 61,000 Bitcoin bought with investors' money.
- UK police traced her when she tried to convert crypto into property, triggering Britain's largest cryptocurrency seizure.