山西警方破获一起利用虚拟货币洗钱案 21人落网涉案3.8亿余元

晋城沁水警方破获一起利用虚拟货币USDT进行洗钱的诈骗案件，抓获犯罪嫌疑人21人。　晋城警方供图

　　中新网晋城7月18日电 (记者 李庭耀)记者18日从山西省晋城市公安局获悉，晋城沁水警方破获一起利用虚拟货币USDT进行洗钱的诈骗案件，抓获犯罪嫌疑人21人。经公安机关侦查，该犯罪集团帮助利用信息网络犯罪人员支付结算5480余万USDT，折合人民币约3.8亿余元。

On 18 July, a journalist (journalist Lee Tung Yeo) from Jinxi Province, Jinxi City Public Security Bureau, was informed that Jinxi Police had uncovered a fraud case using the virtual currency USDT for money-laundering and captured 21 suspects. Following investigations by the public security authorities, the criminal group helped to settle over USDT 54.8 million, which was equivalent to about RMB 380 million, by using information cybercrime personnel.

　　今年4月1日，沁水警方在核查线索时发现，沁水县龙港镇居民赵某月在某银行名下账户资金流异常，存在“跑分”洗钱重大嫌疑。

On 1 April of this year, during a review of the leads, the police found that Zhao, a resident of the town of Hong Kong in Jinhua County, had an unusual flow of funds in a bank's name and that there was a serious suspicion of “run-down” money-laundering.

　　民警展开深入调查，发现这是一起利用虚拟货币USDT进行洗钱实施诈骗的违法犯罪案件。由于该案涉及人数多，遍及广西、江西、河南、安徽等地，沁水警方抽调警力组成抓捕小组分赴各地，开展抓捕。最终将涉案的21名犯罪嫌疑人全部抓获归案，现场扣押手机40余部，查获现金20余万元，查获USDT价值人民币100余万元。

The police conducted an in-depth investigation and found that it was a criminal offence to use the virtual currency USDT for money-laundering purposes. Because of the large number of people involved in the case, including Guangxi, Jiangxi, Henan, Anhui, etc., a group of police draw-up officers travelled to various locations to conduct arrests.

　　经查，2021年10月以来，周某通过组建USDT场外交易群，低价收购USDT，再通过微信群、“跑分”平台高价出售变现，帮助利用信息网络犯罪的人员在USDT和人民币之间进行支付结算，从中非法牟利。

Since October 2021, it has been found that one week, through the formation of an off-site group of USDTs, the purchase of USDTs at a low price and the sale of cash at a high price through a micro-credit group, a “run-down” platform, has helped persons using information cybercrime to pay settlements between USDT and the renminbi for illicit profit.

　　警方介绍，所谓的“跑分”是一种“洗钱”手法，即利用自己的银行卡、POS机、微信或支付宝收款二维码以及虚拟货币等账户为别人代收款，再转到指定账户，从中赚取佣金的不法行为。USDT是由某外国公司发行的区块链虚拟货币，因交易便捷、匿名性等特点，成为虚拟货币“跑分”平台的首选。

According to the police, the so-called “run score” is a method of “money-laundering” whereby accounts such as their own bank cards, POS machines, micro-mails or payment bonds, two-dimensional codes, and virtual currency are used to collect for other people, and then transfer to a designated account, where they earn commissions. The USDT is a virtual currency in a chain issued by a foreign company, which, because of its ease of dealing, anonymity, etc., is the preferred platform for virtual currency “runs”.

　　截至目前，该案21名犯罪嫌疑人已被依法采取刑事强制措施，案件正在进一步侦办中。(完)

To date, 21 suspects in this case have been subjected to criminal coercive measures in accordance with the law, and the case is being further investigated. (concluded)