In early November 2025, the United Kingdom's National Crime Agency (NCA) seized a collection of high-value assets from a Chinese businessman named Su Binghai, who is linked to one of Singapore's largest-ever money laundering scandals.
The assets were recovered as part of a civil recovery investigation and were deemed to be the proceeds of crime. The items seized include:
Dinosaur Skeletons: Three complete, fossilized skeletons, which were the most unusual items in the seizure. These include a mother and baby pair of Allosauruses and a Stegosaurus. They were purchased at a Christie's auction in 2024 for approximately £12.4 million ($15.6 million USD).
London Property: Nine apartments in central London, valued at around £15 million ($19.5 million USD).
Chinese Art: A collection of 11 Chinese artworks purchased at auction for over £400,000 ($520,000 USD).
The NCA brought the case against Su Binghai, 37, after he was linked to a massive S$3 billion ($2.28 billion USD) money laundering investigation in Singapore that came to light in 2023. Although Su was not charged in the Singapore investigation, he was reportedly wanted by authorities before fleeing to the UK.
The NCA used a legal tool called an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO), which compelled Su Binghai to prove that his assets were obtained with legitimate funds. He failed to respond to the order, leading to a "full and final settlement."
Under the terms of this civil settlement, the NCA will keep 75% of the proceeds from the sale of the forfeited assets. The remaining 25% will be returned to Su Binghai. An NCA official noted that while recovering dinosaur fossils is "unusual," it demonstrates the agency's power to seize suspected criminal assets, "whatever form they take."
Source:https://www.ntd.com
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