It sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood heist movie.
Dinosaur fossils, luxury London flats, and rare Chinese art are all caught in a global crime investigation. But this is no fiction.
British authorities have seized assets worth millions from Singapore-based businessman Su Binghai.
These include two Allosaurus skeletons, a Stegosaurus, nine London apartments, and 11 pieces of Chinese artwork.
The haul, part of a settlement under the UK’s Proceeds of Crime Act, could rival the treasures of a museum.
The fossils — dating back 150 million years — were bought at Christie’s for a jaw-dropping £12.4 million ($16.1 million).
Fossil Fortune Under Scrutiny
“They looked like something straight out of the Natural History Museum,” said one auction insider when they were first displayed.
Officials haven’t disclosed exactly what crimes are suspected.
The case allows Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) to reclaim assets believed to have been acquired unlawfully.
This can be done even without a conviction.
Under the court order, Su will still receive a quarter of the proceeds once the assets are sold. The NCA, for now, is staying tight-lipped.
Ancient bones, modern money, and a mystery that bridges both — it seems even the dinosaurs aren’t safe from financial crime.
