The Documentary Podcast

The Chinese Cryptoqueen


Listen Later

Between 2014 and 2017 thousands of ordinary Chinese people handed their money over to a company that promised them fabulous riches by helping them to ride the wave of the future - cryptocurrency. That vision collapsed when the shadowy figure behind it, Qian Zhimin, fled to the UK with a Bitcoin stash bought with their money.

She settled down in London, planning her comeback as the Queen of Liberland, a scrap of land on the banks of the Danube. But her downfall began when she botched an attempt to buy a north London mansion. This alerted the police, who arrested Qian and seized a stash of Bitcoin now worth billions of dollars.

Many investors put everything they had into the company. Several have now told the BBC how they were persuaded to invest, and how the company’s collapse led to personal and financial ruin.

Now, as Qian is sentenced, the question remains: will the victims get their money back?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Documentary PodcastBy BBC World Service

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

1,607 ratings


More shows like The Documentary Podcast

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,697 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

373 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,052 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,543 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

955 Listeners

The History Hour by BBC World Service

The History Hour

582 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,762 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,032 Listeners

The Interview by BBC World Service

The Interview

354 Listeners

Lives Less Ordinary by BBC World Service

Lives Less Ordinary

571 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

959 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

418 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

413 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

727 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

842 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

363 Listeners

Today in Focus by The Guardian

Today in Focus

989 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,175 Listeners

The Missing Cryptoqueen by BBC Sounds

The Missing Cryptoqueen

1,005 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

735 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,004 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

386 Listeners