UK seizes dino fossils from Su Binghai of Fujian gang linked to money-laundering scandal

British authorities have seized dinosaur fossils worth £12.4 million pounds (S$21.1 million) from a Singapore-based businessman linked to one of Singapore’s biggest money laundering scandals worth billions of dollars, reported Bloomberg.

Dino fossils among assets seized

The fossils comprise a Stegosaurus and a mother and baby Allosaurus purchased at a Christie’s auction in London in December 2024.

They were among the assets forfeited by Su Binghai, a Chinese national and Singapore-based businessman, as part of a settlement agreed on Nov. 5 with Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) under the Proceeds of Crime Act, according to The Times.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, British authorities are allowed to recover money or assets gained by criminals during the course of their criminal activity.

The NCA brought the case as a civil recovery investigation after successfully obtaining an unexplained wealth order, which is a legal tool increasingly used by the UK police to force individuals to prove legitimate origins for the suspect wealth they have obtained, as reported by Bloomberg.

Su agreed to forfeit the fossils, nine London apartments worth around £15 million (S$25.6 million), and £343,000 (S$585,100) in rental income.

However, he was still allowed to keep 25 per cent of the sale proceeds.

Alongside the fossils, authorities seized 11 Chinese artefacts worth approximately £400,000 (S$682,210), including Ming dynasty vases and a floral bowl from the Yongzheng period, bought through Sotheby’s, reported The Times.

In recent years, dinosaur fossils have become coveted status symbols among the world’s ultra-wealthy, with some specimens rivalling prices of Old Masters paintings by selling for tens of millions of dollars at auction.

Nicholas Cage had bought a Tyrannosaurus bataar skull for US$276,000 (S$360,366) which he then had to return as he was unaware that the skull had been illegally stolen from Mongolia.

Russel Crowe had also purchased a dinosaur skull for US$35,000 (S$45,700) from Leonardo DiCaprio after spotting it on display in the actor’s house.

Connection to Singapore’s money-laundering case

Su had previously been wanted by Singapore authorities in connection with a S$3 billion money-laundering investigation, one of Singapore’s largest financial crime cases.

The Interpol notice for his arrest by Singapore police was withdrawn after he and his wife agreed to forfeit their assets to the Singapore government as part of a deal involving multiple suspects on the run.

The scandal, which saw 10 foreigners arrested, including Chinese nationals, involved illicit funds linked to overseas gambling and other criminal operations.

Su allegedly left Singapore in August 2023, according to The Straits Times.

His driver, Liew Yik Kit, received a three-month jail term in June 2025 after confessing that he had misled police officers about his employer’s fleet of luxury cars worth US$8.3 million (s$10.8 million).

Court outcome

The High Court in London approved the forfeiture order this week, with Judge Gavin Mansfield commenting during proceedings, as reported by Bloomberg:

“I doubt that any of us will be dealing with one of these again.”

Su had agreed to a “full and final settlement of all claims”, while lawyers representing Su declined to comment after the hearing.

At the hearing, an NCA lawyer also confirmed that the dinosaur skeletons are currently being held in a London storehouse.

Top images via Hepingribao, Pixabay