The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to her arrest and has released pictures of Ignatova in media around the world.
But who is Ruja Ignatova, the ‘CryptoQueen’?
Ignatova is now 42 years old. Y He is wanted for allegedly masterminding a massive fraud scheme that affected millions of investors worldwide.
Ignatova allegedly made false representations about OneCoin to entice people to invest in the company.
Ruja Ignatova and her “luxurious lifestyle”
He has brown eyes and dark brown to black hair. However, researchers They believe he may have changed his physical appearance.
Ignatova speaks English, German and Bulgarian. You can travel on the wrong passport It has connections with Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and the United Arab Emirates.
before disappearing, Ignatova lived a lavish lifestyle.
How did Ruja Ignatova perform?
According to the researchers, Ignatova and her partner promoted OneCoin through a marketing strategy that encouraged investors to sell additional packages to friends and family.
“OneCoin claimed to have a blockchain (blockchains) Private,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronald Shimko, who is investigating the case from local residents FBI in New York.
The blockchain, Or Chain of Blocks in Spanish is a set of blocks of information that allows keeping a secure and synchronized record of digital activities, acting as a kind of digital ledger that stores any kind of data.
In this case, Ignatova’s company OneCoin promised to have a private blockchain: “This contrasts with other virtual currencies that have a public and decentralized blockchain. In this case, investors were asked to trust OneCoin,” the researcher said.
The FBI reported that dozens of victims worldwide were defrauded out of billions through the scheme, which was developed by OneCoin.
According to the investigation, Ignatova sold her business to people who did not fully understand how cryptocurrencies work, but were attracted by the interesting application she presented.
On October 12, 2017, Ignatova was indicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and a federal warrant was issued for her arrest. Investigators believe they may have received a tip that U.S. and international authorities are investigating Ignatova. He traveled from Sofia, Bulgaria to Athens, Greece on October 25, 2017 and has since been missing.
On February 6, 2018, Ignatova was indicted on one count of wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
The investigator said he hoped publicity of the 10 Most Wanted Fictitious list would generate more buzz about the case. “Many victims around the world have suffered financially because of this… We want to bring her to justice,” he said.
If you have any information on Ruja Ignatova’s whereabouts, the FBI asks that you contact your local FBI office or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be reported anonymously and online at tips.fbi.gov.