Ruja Ignatova Makes It to FBI Most Wanted List Following Onecoin Scam

Infamous Onecoin Ponzi scheme promoter Ruja Ignatova aka “Cryptoqueen” has landed on the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI)’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list for allegedly defrauding victims out of a whopping $4 billion.

The pyramid scheme promoted Onecoin as a blockchain project with a native cryptocurrency that had the potential to unseat Bitcoin and the dollar, to become a globally accepted currency. However, the project was a scam and there was no blockchain nor real crypto-asset behind it.

The scam project operated and recruited members between late 2015 and early 2016. By January 2017, the Onecoin exchange xcoinx became defunct, and Ignatova vanished into thin air.

Two months ago, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, Europol, placed Ignatova on Europe’s Most Wanted Fugitives list.

FBI Hopes Adding Ruja Ignatova on Most Wanted List Could Expedite Her Arrest

Commenting on the case, FBI special agent Ronald Shimko explained in a statement yesterday that “Onecoin claimed to have a private blockchain,” adding: “This is in contrast to other virtual currencies, which have a decentralized and public blockchain. In this case, investors were just asked to trust Onecoin.”

The special agent asserted that adding the Cryptoqueen’s name to the fugitive list could help increase efforts in her search and arrest. Shimko concluded:

“There are so many victims all over the world who were financially devastated by this. We want to bring her to justice.”

Although her physical features and appearance are known, investigators believe “she could have altered her physical appearance” after fleeing. The FBI also noted that the fugitive speaks fluent Bulgarian, German, and English. The press release further detailed: “She may be traveling on a fraudulent passport and has known connections to Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates.”