LAVISH LIVING
Following scrutiny from Chinese authorities, Qian – also known as Yadi Zhang – fled her home country in 2017 and came to Britain. The court heard that she evaded UK authorities for around six years.
She travelled across Europe, staying in upscale hotels and buying jewellery, including two watches worth nearly £120,000 (US$160,000), the court heard.
With the help of an accomplice, Jian Wen, she rented a lavish London property for around £17,000 a month and claimed to run a successful jewellery business.
Police surveillance of Qian’s co-defendant Ling eventually led to her arrest in April 2024.
Wen was jailed last year for six years and eight months over her role in the scheme.
Details of a compensation scheme for victims proposed by British authorities are still being thrashed out in London’s High Court in civil proceedings, where more than 1,300 alleged victims have come forward, according to sources close to the case.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson told AFP that Chinese and British law enforcement agencies were “cooperating on cross-border fugitive and asset recovery” in the case.
