Ashley Hendron represents first defendant in £5 billion crypto-currency money laundering case

Ashley Hendron, instructed by Roger Sahota of Berkeley Square Solicitors and led by Richard Thomas KC, represented Yadi Zhang (also known as Zhimin Qian) who was the first defendant in the high-profile and historic prosecution of a number of defendants for laundering the proceeds of what is described as a huge international investment fraud.

The prosecution followed a seven-year international investigation, involving UK and Chinese law enforcement, in relation to the laundering of the proceeds of investment fraud in China in which more than 128,000 victims were defrauded.  The proceeds of the fraud were converted into a total of 61,000 Bitcoin (now valued in excess of £5 billion) and then attempts were made to launder the funds through the UK property market.  The case was one of the largest money laundering cases ever prosecuted and involved the largest ever seizure of cryptocurrency.

On 29 September 2025, Ashley’s client entered guilty pleas to two counts of money laundering, and is due to be sentenced  on 10 and 11 November 2025.

You can read some of the extensive press coverage of the case via the links below:

• BBC – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0415kk3rzo
• Sky News – https://news.sky.com/story/5bn-fraud-masterminds-butler-pleads-guilty-to-money-laundering-after-uks-biggest-ever-bitcoin-seizure-13441642
• The Times – https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/uk-and-china-do-battle-for-the-bitqueens-crypto-fortune-dddjhwpt7
• Financial Times – https://www.ft.com/content/56f45b0d-8471-4217-b5b3-478ad49ea591
• The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/29/zhimin-qian-admits-uk-bitcoin-charges-after-worlds-largest-crypto-seizure
• The Telegraph – https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/09/29/hampstead-billionaire-convicted-over-worlds-largest-crypto/
• Daily Mail – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15145459/Chinese-Bitcoin-queen-cryptocurrency-5billion-investment-fraud.html