Sanctioned Prince Group associate linked to $17 million London property holdings
A man sanctioned by the United States over his alleged involvement in a vast international criminal network has been linked to at least $17 million worth of property in London, according to company and land registry records. The individual, Yang Jian, has been accused by the US government of playing a role in the operations of Prince Group, a Cambodia-based conglomerate that American authorities have designated a “transnational criminal organization.”
Before he was targeted by US sanctions, Yang quietly acquired a significant portfolio of residential property in the British capital, purchasing a cluster of adjoining houses and multiple parking spaces in a high-value area of South London. The properties were obtained through a UK-registered company connected to him, raising further questions about how alleged members of global criminal networks are able to invest in major Western property markets.
According to conveyancing documents filed with the UK Land Registry, a company called DSRR Limited bought 12 adjoining house units along with at least 17 car parking spaces in a neighboring garage in November 2022. The combined purchase price was £12.7 million, equivalent to roughly $17 million at the time.
Company records indicate that Yang Jian established DSRR Limited in December 2021, using his Cypriot passport when registering the company. Although he is also a Chinese citizen, Yang acquired citizenship in Cyprus in 2019, which allowed him to conduct business and property transactions within Europe under a different nationality.
The properties linked to Yang Jian are located in Rotherhithe, a riverside district in South London known for its quiet residential streets and proximity to the financial hub of Canary Wharf. Reporters from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), who visited the site, described the homes as part of a gated private road situated along the River Thames. From the property, there is a direct view across the river toward the skyline of Canary Wharf, one of London’s most important financial districts.
Although the journalists were unable to gain direct access to the properties due to security restrictions and........
