London: A masters student has asked a London court to keep her identity private. Authorities have frozen millions of pounds worth of UK property linked to a wider $2 billion money laundering investigation.

The woman, identified in court as “GKC,” appeared before the High Court on Wednesday. Her lawyers argued that the court should protect her identity because the National Crime Agency (NCA) currently treats her as a person under suspicion.

NCA Obtained Unexplained Wealth Order

The NCA obtained an Unexplained Wealth Order (UWO) against GKC in July 2025. The order requires her to explain how she lawfully acquired certain assets.

Court filings say the order covers two multi-million-pound flats in the UK. Authorities have also frozen around £800,000 in bank accounts linked to the case.

One of the flats reportedly cost £4 million. The NCA is investigating whether people connected to a major money laundering case in Singapore gave GKC the assets.

Student Cites Future Career Plans

GKC moved to England at the age of 16. She attended boarding school before pursuing higher education.

In court papers, she said she hopes to work in banking after completing her masters degree. She argued that public disclosure of her identity could damage her future career prospects.

GKC had no declared income or recorded earnings when the NCA sought the UWO. The agency is therefore examining the source of the money used to acquire the properties and maintain the bank accounts.

NCA Wants Her Identity Made Public

The NCA has opposed GKC’s request for anonymity. Its barrister, Andrew Sutcliffe KC, told the court that the UWO process should not operate under a “cloak of privacy.”

The agency wants the court to make GKC’s identity public. It argues that transparency should apply because the case involves significant assets and an ongoing investigation.

GKC previously asked the court to cancel the UWO. The court rejected that request last month. She now seeks permission to appeal the decision.

Lawyers Argue for Privacy

GKC’s lawyers compared her situation with that of a person who faces investigation but has not yet faced criminal charges. They argued that the court should give her similar privacy protections.

Her lawyer, Tim Owen KC, said the NCA currently has suspicions rather than a completed case against his client. He argued that the UWO helps the agency investigate the source of the assets.

Owen said the agency has not yet reached a decision to pursue a full claim against GKC. The court will later issue its judgment on whether she can keep her identity private.

UK Authorities Target Unexplained Wealth

The UK introduced UWOs in 2018 to help authorities investigate suspected illicit wealth. The orders allow law enforcement agencies to demand explanations for assets that appear disproportionate to a person’s known income.

The NCA has used UWOs in several high-profile cases. Authorities have also targeted individuals linked to major international financial investigations.

Earlier this week, the Crown Prosecution Service obtained a UWO against a Chinese national and related UK companies. That case involves a property portfolio worth more than £81 million.

Court to Rule on Anonymity

The High Court will issue its decision on GKC’s anonymity request at a later date. Until then, the court has not publicly identified her beyond the initials used in the proceedings.

The case will also determine how courts handle privacy requests in UWO investigations. The ruling could affect future cases involving people who face asset investigations without criminal charges.