Key Takeaways:
- Bulgaria’s Acting Prosecutor General announced charges against OneCoin founder Ruja Ignatova in absentia.
- The U.S. Department of State increased its reward for information on Ignatova to $5 million.
- Ignatova, last seen in 2017, defrauded investors of around $4 billion through OneCoin.
Bulgaria’s Acting Prosecutor General announced that Ruja Ignatova, the founder of the fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme OneCoin, will be charged in absentia.
The U.S. Department of State has increased its reward for information leading to her arrest and conviction to $5 million.
The TOC Rewards Program offers up to $5M for info leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ruja Ignatova, the “Crypto Queen,” for her role in one of the largest global fraud schemes in history. https://t.co/uxrMi33Dzu pic.twitter.com/vtvDdTVHEe
— US Dept of State INL (@StateINL) June 26, 2024
The FBI, which added Ignatova to its “ten most wanted fugitives” list in June 2022, originally offered a $100,000 reward, later increasing it to $250,000 in 2023.
Ignatova, last seen in Athens in October 2017, may have altered her appearance and holds a German passport.
Ignatova was charged with fraud and money laundering in 2017 by U.S. authorities.
OneCoin, founded in 2014, defrauded investors of around $4 billion. Several individuals, including Ignatova’s boyfriend Gilbert Armenta and her brother Konstantin Ignatov, have been prosecuted for their involvement in the scheme.
US Offers $5 Million Reward for Information Leading to #Onecoin Founder #RujaIgnatova https://t.co/HIp44vKPN3
— Bitcoin.com News (@BTCTN) June 26, 2024
Konstantin Ignatov, who pleaded guilty to related charges in 2019, was released from prison in March 2024 after serving 34 months.
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