Weekend Recap: BTC launderer sentenced to six years in prison, Ulbricht expresses gratitude towards Trump and other notable updates

Bitcoin launderer apprehended after attempting to purchase luxurious properties
London’s Southwark Crown Court sentenced Jian Wen, a British-Chinese woman, to six years and eight months in prison on May 24. She was found guilty of laundering more than $1 million worth of Bitcoin in connection with a $6.3 billion fraud case in China. Wen, who used to work in the hospitality industry, was caught when a local law firm asked her Know Your Customer (KYC) questions while she was attempting to buy multimillion-dollar properties in London, according to The Law Society Gazette. Although she was convicted in March for her involvement in a money laundering arrangement, Wen’s ex-boss, Yadi Zhang, claims that she is innocent. The Financial Times stated that Wen was not accused of being involved in the initial fraud.
(Source: Metropolitan Police)
Wen’s lawyer, Mark Harries KC, argued that she was “undoubtedly duped and used,” but Judge Sally-Ann Hales KC firmly believed that Wen “knew, rather than merely suspected, that [she] was dealing in the proceeds of crime.”
Ross Ulbricht expresses gratitude to Trump for promise of pardon
Ross Ulbricht, the imprisoned founder of the online black market Silk Road, expressed his appreciation to Donald Trump for pledging to commute his sentence if he is reelected. In a post on May 26, Ulbricht, whose account is managed by his family, thanked Trump for the promise. Ulbricht has already served ten years of his life sentence with no possibility of parole after being convicted in 2015 for his role in owning and operating Silk Road. During a Libertarian Party Convention, Trump assured the crowd that they would bring Ulbricht back home.
(Source: Ross Ulbricht)
Coinbase expands its “Stand with Crypto” lobbying campaign to the UK
Coinbase’s crypto advocacy nonprofit, “Stand with Crypto,” has officially launched its first international expansion in the United Kingdom. In a blog post on May 24, Coinbase announced that its new British division hosted a launch event at the UK Parliament, attended by approximately 100 individuals from the crypto industry, investors, academics, and the media. Coinbase stated that the UK is its largest international market, with over 6 million crypto holders. Earlier this month, Stand with Crypto introduced a Political Action Committee (PAC) in the United States ahead of the presidential election in November.
(Source: Coinbase)
Other news
– Bitcoin miner Marathon Digital has partnered with Kenya’s Energy Ministry to utilize underused energy for powering mining rigs.
– Professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has released his fourth nonfungible token (NFT) collection in collaboration with Binance. However, he is currently facing a class-action lawsuit in Florida regarding his previous NFTs.
– UK cannabis millionaire engages in legal transactions involving cryptocurrency through mobile platforms.