British legal authorities are taking steps to freeze nearly £68 million worth of real estate assets in London, linked to Yuan Yihua, an individual originally from China who also possesses citizenship from Cyprus, Cambodia, and Vanuatu.
Court documents from the U.K. Land Registry reveal that Yuan Yihua acquired no fewer than 14 properties across the capital between June 2021 and January 2025. Among these holdings is a £32-million mansion situated in the upscale St John’s Wood district.
The Crown Prosecution Service submitted requests for freezing orders on these properties on May 11, according to the records. Neither the CPS nor the National Crime Agency provided explanations regarding the reasons behind these actions when approached for comment.
The CPS recently unveiled a new framework aimed at combatting serious organized crime and economic offenses, emphasizing asset recovery as a central pillar of prosecution efforts. Over the past five years, the agency has successfully reclaimed more than $707 million through confiscation orders.
This move comes amid broader scrutiny of the Prince Group, a Cambodian conglomerate accused of operating fraudulent scam networks that allegedly rely on victims of human trafficking. In March, U.K. authorities imposed additional sanctions and asset freezes on individuals and entities tied to the group.
Flight records indicate that Yuan Yihua traveled to the Pacific island of Palau aboard a private jet owned by a firm controlled by Hu Xiaowei, another figure recently identified as having multiple identities and substantial U.K. property holdings. Also on that flight was Yang Jian, who has invested millions in London real estate and faces U.S. sanctions alongside Hu Xiaowei for alleged connections to the Prince Group.
Of the 14 properties under freezing order requests, nine were purchased by Yuan Yihua on a single day—June 23, 2021. All are located in the Legacy Building, a luxury development in Nine Elms featuring a rooftop pool with views of the U.S. embassy. A transfer document for one unit initially listed the buyer as “Unstoppable Bird Limited,” a company controlled by Qiu Wei Ren, who was sanctioned in 2025 for alleged ties to the Prince Group. The document, obtained by Transparency International U.K., shows the company name crossed out and Yuan Yihua’s name handwritten in its place.
Yuan Yihua has not been sanctioned for links to the Prince Group and is not listed as a director of its key holding companies. He did not respond to inquiries about the CPS requests. Similarly, Qiu Wei Ren declined to comment on the document alteration or any potential business relationship with Yuan Yihua.
Among the targeted properties is a $14-million home in a gated community in Weybridge, Surrey, and a mansion on Avenue Road, a street known for some of London’s most expensive residences. The Avenue Road property, purchased in January 2025, is currently undergoing extensive renovations.