The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) added Ruja Ignatova, also known as “Crypto Queen,” founder of the infamous Ponzi scheme OneCoin, to its “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list.
- The FBI announced the addition of Ruja Ignatova to the list in a press release on Thursday (June 30, 2022). The Bureau is offering a $100,000 reward to anyone with “information leading to her arrest.”
- Crypto Queen, as Ignatova called herself, is wanted in the United States for running a Ponzi scheme called OneCoin established in 2014, which she used to allegedly defraud investors globally of some $4 billion.
- According to the press release, Ignatova supposedly made false statements and representations to make individuals invest in the project. She also promoted OneCoin as a “Bitcoin Killer.”
Ruja Ignatova. Source: Trud
- In 2017, the Southern District of New York issued a warrant for Ignatova’s arrest following her disappearance, with a superseding indictment later in February 2018.
- The OneCoin founder is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Ignatova’s last known location was Athens, Greece, in October 2017, having traveled from Bulgaria. Authorities say that the fugitive “may travel on a German passport to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and/or Eastern Europe.”
- While the Crypto Queen remains at large, her brother Konstantin Ignatov was arrested back in 2019 and pled guilty to fraud and money laundering charges. Ignatov is yet to get sentencing.
- The latest development comes shortly after Europol included Ignatova on its most wanted fugitives list in May 2022, offering a €5,000 reward to reveal her whereabouts.