• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
'Crypto Queen' Is Added To FBI's 10 Most Wanted List

Home> News

Published 11:08 1 Jul 2022 GMT+1

'Crypto Queen' Is Added To FBI's 10 Most Wanted List

Ruja Ignatova, dubbed the ‘Cryptoqueen’, has been named a most-wanted fugitive by the FBI

Aisha Nozari

Aisha Nozari

Ruja Ignatova, dubbed the ‘Cryptoqueen’, has been named a most-wanted fugitive by the FBI.

Ignatova was added to the bureau’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list for allegedly defrauding investors out of more than $4 billion through a cryptocurrency company she co-founded in 2014.

Ignatova, 42, is the only woman to have ever made it onto the FBI's top 10 most wanted list, and just the 11th woman to have featured on the list at all in its 72-year history.

Ruja Ignatova, dubbed the ‘Cryptoqueen’, has been named a most-wanted fugitive by the FBI.
FBI

Advert

She helped found OneCoin eight years ago and earlier this year was placed on Europol’s most-wanted list.

According to ABC, FBI Assistant Director Michael Driscoll said: "It's an important tool for us, the top 10 list. We think the public is in the best position to help."

Back in 2014, Ignatova, who is a Bulgarian lawyer, claimed she had invented a cryptocurrency that could rival Bitcoin.

The FBI alleges that Ignatova made false statements while promoting OneCoin and soliciting investments.

Advert

Laying out a multi-level marketing strategy, the FBI said Ignatova claimed that OneCoin used a private blockchain, meaning its value was determined by the company as opposed to market demand, as is the case when currencies have public blockchains.

According to the FBI, Ignatova – who the bureau says capitalised on the ‘buzz’ around cryptocurrencies – was able to persuade investors to give her billions of dollars.

A federal warrant was issued for her arrest in 2017 and she subsequently disappeared, something the FBI said was the result of a tip-off she’d received. 

Ignatova was added to the bureau’s list for allegedly defrauding investors out of more than $4 billion.
FBI

Advert

In October 2017, Ignatova travelled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece. She hasn’t been seen since, with Driscoll noting: "She's got a lot of money and she hit the road pretty quick.”

In February 2018, Ignatova was indicted on one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and securities fraud.

The FBI is now offering up to $100,000 for information leading to Ignatova’s arrest, adding that she has been known to travel across Eastern Europe and may have even altered her appearance with plastic surgery. 

Ignatova's brother, Konstantin Ignatov, has also been charged in connection with OneCoin.

Advert

He ran OneCoin after his sister’s disappearance and in March 2019 was arrested on a wire fraud conspiracy charge. He is currently awaiting his sentence after pleading guilty.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected] 

Featured Image Credit: OneCoin/YouTube/FBI

Topics: Cryptocurrency, US News, World News

Aisha Nozari
Aisha Nozari

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

5 hours ago
8 hours ago
10 hours ago
  • 5 hours ago

    Amazon Prime series with near-perfect RT score is labeled 'one of the best' by Stephen King

    The series starring Titus Welliver has been branded 'one of the most underrated TV shows'

    Film & TV
  • 8 hours ago

    People horrified after hearing tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s ‘sociopathic’ response about the future of humanity

    People have been creeped out by how he answered a simple question

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Doctor issues warning over hidden symptoms of Lyme disease as tick bites near record highs in US states

    Parts of the US have seen a sudden uptick in tick bites

    News
  • 10 hours ago

    ‘World’s top couple’s therapist’ reveals the one surprising behavior in people’s relationships that ‘scares her’

    The psychologist said this one thing in other couples doesn't seem real

    News
  • Chipotle customer finds receipt from 10 years ago and the comparison is making people want to cry
  • Airline passenger solved biggest known crypto heist worth $243,000,000 sitting on airport runway
  • Someone who invested $7,793 into Bitcoin 14 years ago and only just accessed it is now worth a staggering amount
  • Crypto CEO responds as hackers demand $20,0000,000 in bitcoin after stealing users’ personal information in major data breach