An Ex-takeaway worker must pay back £3.1m after a money laundering conviction.

Jian Wen, 42, A former takeaway worker who laundered the proceeds of fraud, which saw her rise from living above a restaurant to residing in a multi-million pound rented house in an affluent part of North London, has been ordered to pay back more than £3.1 million or face extra time in jail. 

Wen was previously convicted at Southwark Crown Court of one charge of Money Laundering relating to a cryptocurrency wallet containing 150 Bitcoin, for which she was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment. 

A Metropolitan Police investigation resulted in the seizure of Bitcoin wallets, which are estimated to be worth more than £300 million. Prosecutors told the court that the sheer scale of the seized Bitcoin and the lack of any legitimate evidence for how it was acquired indicated that it was criminal property.

In 2019, Wen travelled to Dubai, where she purchased two properties worth more than £500,000. 

Throughout the investigation and subsequent trials, Wen denied knowing that some or all the Bitcoin was derived from criminality and had no suspicions about its scale. She claimed to have worked for a Chinese national who had asked her to make the purchases.

The CPS, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police Service, have today secured a Confiscation Order against Jian Wen following her Money Laundering conviction.

The Judge determined Jian Wen benefitted from her criminal conduct in the sum of £3,500,113 and then made a Confiscation Order in the sum of her available assets, which were valued at £3,126,572.

The Judge also ordered that if she failed to pay her Confiscation Order within three months, she could serve an additional seven years in prison. Jian Wen will remain liable for the difference between her criminal benefit and the available amount, which can be reinvestigated at any stage should the police become aware of her owning any new asset.

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: 

1. “The CPS and the Metropolitan Police have successfully brought Jian Wen to justice. Wen is a sophisticated money launderer who laundered many millions of the proceeds of crime.
2. We have today secured a Confiscation Order against her for more than £3.1m, which she must pay within 3 months or risk being returned to prison for an additional seven years.
3. “In the last five years, over £450 million has been recovered from CPS-obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending.
4. £88m of that amount has been returned to crime victims by compensation.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Nick Blackburn from the Metropolitan Police said:

1. “I’d like to thank the team of highly skilled detectives who brought Wen to justice alongside colleagues at the CPS.
2. “I hope the conclusion of today’s hearing sends a clear message to criminals who use sophisticated means to obtain funds illegally.
3. They should be in no doubt that we will pursue them with persistence, determination and vigour.” 

Notes to editors

• Adrian Foster is the Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Proceeds of Crime Division of the Serious Economic, Organised Crime and International Directorate
• Jian Wen (DOB: 25/12/1981) has been sentenced to six years and eight months at Southwark Crown Court for one count of Money Laundering
• On Friday, 10 January 2025, a Confiscation Order was made against her in the sum of ££3,126,572, payable within three months. The default period of imprisonment was set at seven years. 
• The Confiscation Order can only be made in the sum of the available assets that she has at the time the order is made, and therefore, this can be a lower amount than the total criminal benefit figure
• Where a defendant refuses to pay their Confiscation Order within the period permitted by the court, CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can invite a Judge to impose the default sentence of imprisonment in addition to their original sentence
• The full debt owed continues to be recoverable until it is paid, even if the default period of imprisonment is imposed. Interest at a rate of 8% p.a. accrues on the Confiscation Order amount after the period allowed for payment expires

source

https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/ex-takeaway-worker-ordered-pay-back-ps31m-after-money-laundering-conviction