Piece of Bitcoin virtual cryptocurrency resting on U.S. dollar banknotes in Paris in France, on Feb. 14, 2025. Maeva Destombes/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
Federal authorities have seized $15 billion in bitcoin from Chen Zhi, a Chinese-Cambodian kingpin accused of running a sprawling scam enterprise that relies on human trafficking and slavery, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.
The asset seizure is part of a broader criminal investigation into Chen and his conglomerate, Prince Group, a Cambodia-based business empire that prosecutors said masked one of Asia’s largest transnational fraud and human trafficking networks.
