Zhimin Qian, 47, masterminded a Ponzi scheme which defrauded more than 128,000 victims in China between 2014 and 2017 and stored the illegally obtained funds in Bitcoin assets

A court has head how a Chinese fraudster involved in a Bitcoin scam worth more than £5.5 billion spent years evading British authorities while sightseeing across Europe and staying in luxury hotels.

Zhimin Qian, 47, masterminded a Ponzi scheme which defrauded more than 128,000 victims in China between 2014 and 2017 and stored the illegally obtained funds in Bitcoin assets.

Qian, also known as Yadi Zhang, fled to the UK as a "fugitive" in 2017 after coming to the attention of Chinese authorities and upon arriving, recruited accomplices to help her "set up a new life".

A sentencing hearing at Southwark Crown C

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