HONG KONG -- Hundreds of thousands of Chinese victims caught in a bitcoin Ponzi scheme likely face years of legal battles to recover their losses, due to challenges in linking their claims with 61,000 bitcoins seized by the U.K. government.
Accused con artist Qian Zhimin unexpectedly pleaded guilty in UK court

Qian Zhimin, a 47-year-old accused of masterminding a bitcoin investment scam in China, pleaded guilty in London to two charges related to money laundering using cryptocurrencies. (Metropolitan Police, Reuters, Getty Images)
HONG KONG -- Hundreds of thousands of Chinese victims caught in a bitcoin Ponzi scheme likely face years of legal battles to recover their losses, due to challenges in linking their claims with 61,000 bitcoins seized by the U.K. government.