Washington, D.C. - The FBI is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Ruja Ignatova, the woman accused of masterminding the multi-billion dollar OneCoin cryptocurrency scam. Ignatova, who disappeared in 2017, is considered one of the world's most wanted fugitives.
Dubbed the "Cryptoqueen," Ignatova rose to prominence promoting OneCoin as the next big thing in cryptocurrency. However, the scheme quickly unraveled, exposing it as an elaborate pyramid scheme that defrauded millions of investors globally out of an estimated $4 billion.
The FBI alleges that Ignatova, a Bulgarian national, used her charisma and claims of an Oxford education to lure investors into purchasing packages of worthless OneCoin. Unlike legitimate cryptocurrencies, OneCoin was not backed by blockchain technology and had no real value.
Ignatova's lavish lifestyle and promises of massive returns fueled the scam's rapid growth. However, as suspicions mounted and investigations closed in, Ignatova vanished. Her last known location was Athens, Greece, in October 2017, where she reportedly fled after discovering her boyfriend was cooperating with the FBI.
The FBI believes she may have altered her appearance and is possibly using a German passport to travel to countries like the UAE, Russia, Greece, and Eastern Europe. This latest development comes as Bulgaria announces its intention to file charges in absentia against Ignatova and seize her assets.
The $5 million reward represents a significant increase from the previous $100,000 offered and underscores the FBI's commitment to bringing Ignatova to justice. The agency is working closely with Bulgarian authorities and is urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to come forward.
The OneCoin saga serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in the often unregulated world of cryptocurrency investments. While Ignatova remains at large, the search for the "Cryptoqueen" continues.
