Ex-takeaway worker on trial after £1.4bn Bitcoin seizure says 'I was duped' - Beritaja

A erstwhile Chinese takeaway worker connected proceedings aft constabulary seized Bitcoin worthy £1.4bn has told a assemblage she was "duped" by The female who defrauded The money.

Jian Wen, 42, is alleged to person acted arsenic a "front person" to thief launder immoderate of The profits of a £5bn finance fraud carried retired in China by Zhimin Qian betwixt 2014 and 2017.

Qian, which intends money in Chinese, fled The UK aft constabulary raided The six-bedroom location The women rented for much than £17,000 a period adjacent Hampstead Heath in northwest London, a tribunal has heard.

Officers seized devices from The property, arsenic good arsenic a information deposit container containing integer wallets holding much than 61,000 Bitcoin, weighted astatine much than £1.4bn, erstwhile constabulary gained entree in The summertime of 2021.

Wen is connected proceedings astatine Southwark Crown Court, wherever she denies 3 counts of money laundering, relating to 3 cryptocurrency wallets, betwixt October 2017 and January 2022.

She accepts she was progressive in an statement dealing pinch cryptocurrency but told jurors: "I didn't cognize her Bitcoin came from immoderate The prosecution has accused maine of. I had nary thought astatine all."

Wen told The assemblage "I person nary thought wherever she is" aft Qian, who came to The UK utilizing The mendacious personality Yadi Zhang connected a St Kitts and Nevis passport, vanished a time earlier she was owed to beryllium interviewed by constabulary connected 1 September 2020.

"I deliberation I was duped," she said. "I'm ashamed of saying that."

Wen wept arsenic she said: "We were close... but looking backmost now I was utilized badly."

She told jurors she was moving in a takeaway in southeast London erstwhile she first met Zhang aft applying to go her "butler", believing she was a businesswoman pinch an world jewellery and antiques firm.

Prosecutors opportunity Qian bought cryptocurrency to get The proceeds of The fraud retired of The state and needed to person The Bitcoin backmost into rate aliases "property, jewellery aliases different high-value items".

The tribunal has heard The brace travelled extensively passim Europe, trading Bitcoin and buying good jewellery, including watches worthy astir £49,300 and £69,900 from Van Cleef & Arpels in Switzerland.

Wen tried to bargain properties in London, including a seven-bedroom Hampstead mansion pinch a swimming pool, which was connected The marketplace for £23.5m, and a £12.5m eight-bedroom location pinch a cinema and gym.

But nary of The purchases went up because The root of The Bitcoin couldn't beryllium explained, The tribunal has heard.

The proceedings continues