From the “Goddess of Wealth” to 11 Years in Prison

The story being discussed today in the crypto community and far beyond it resembles a financial thriller more than an ordinary criminal case. It concerns one of the largest crypto frauds in world history, ending with an 11-year prison sentence and a record confiscation of bitcoins worth around 7 billion dollars.

The central figure in the case is Zhiming Qian, a woman often referred to in investigative materials and the media as the “Goddess of Wealth.” This nickname was not accidental. According to investigators, Qian kept personal diaries in which she wrote about her destiny to become a “goddess” and a “queen,” as well as about power, money, and her sense of being chosen. These notes later became an important psychological detail in the portrait of a person who built a massive fraudulent scheme.

Foto: Metropolitan Police

From 2014 to 2017, Qian operated in China through the company Tianjin Lantian Gerui Electronic Technology. Disguised as an investment business, she attracted funds from tens of thousands of people, promising extraordinary returns of up to 300 percent. In essence, it was a classic Ponzi scheme masked as a high-tech and supposedly innovative project. More than 128,000 people entrusted her with their money, expecting fast and substantial profits.

The funds collected were actively converted into bitcoins. At that time, cryptocurrencies were not yet under such close regulatory scrutiny, making them a convenient tool for hiding and moving capital. When the scheme began to collapse, Qian left China and moved to the United Kingdom in 2014. There she began living the life of an ultra-wealthy individual, purchasing luxury real estate and attempting to legitimize the funds through complex transaction chains.

The investigation became one of the longest and most complex ever conducted by British law enforcement. It lasted nearly seven years and was carried out in close cooperation with Chinese authorities. The climax came with Qian’s arrest in London, where approximately 61,000 bitcoins were discovered in her possession. At current prices, their value exceeded 6.6 billion dollars. Scotland Yard officially stated that this was the largest cryptocurrency seizure in history. y.

Last year, one of Qian’s accomplices was already sentenced to six years in prison. Now it was the turn of the scheme’s main organizer. Qian’s admission of guilt effectively closed the years-long investigation, and the sentence set an important precedent for the entire digital asset industr

A separate and highly sensitive issue is the fate of the confiscated bitcoins. Official police statements do not specify whether these assets will be used to compensate victims or remain under the control of the British state. Will Line, head of the unit combating economic and cybercrime, emphasized that his primary concern is the thousands of victims who suffered serious financial and psychological harm. However, British media, including the BBC, have already suggested that the government may attempt to retain these assets.

This story serves as a clear reminder of several things at once. First, cryptocurrency is neither a “magic shield” against the law nor a guarantee of impunity. Second, promises of extraordinary returns almost always end the same way, regardless of whether they are wrapped in words like “blockchain,” “innovation,” or “new economy.” And finally, even years later and across national borders, such schemes can be uncovered and their organizers brought to justice.

The crypto world is maturing, and as the market grows, so does the severity of the state’s response to abuses. The story of the “Goddess of Wealth” is a harsh but illustrative lesson for investors, regulators, and anyone who still believes in fairy tales about guaranteed 300 percent returns.