Missing Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova Wanted in US With New $5 Million Reward

Key Points:

• The U.S. State Department offers $5 million for information leading to the capture of Missing Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova, accused of masterminding the $4 billion OneCoin scam.
• Ignatova fled in 2017 and remains elusive despite being on the FBI’s Most Wanted list since 2022.
• Global efforts persist to hold Ignatova accountable, with ongoing legal actions and asset recovery initiatives underway.

According to Barron’s, the U.S. State Department has escalated efforts to capture Ruja Ignatova, the elusive founder of OneCoin known as the “Cryptoqueen,” by offering a $5 million reward for information leading to her arrest or conviction.

State Department Offers $5 Million Bounty for Missing Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova

Missing Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova, who disappeared in Athens in 2017, faces charges in the United States for orchestrating a massive cryptocurrency scam that defrauded investors of over $4 billion.

Originally indicted in October 2017, Ignatova fled Bulgaria to Greece following a warning from corrupt officials, evading capture ever since. Her inclusion on the FBI‘s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2022 marked a significant development, with a previous reward of $250,000 now substantially increased under the State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.

Global Efforts Intensify to Bring OneCoin Fraudster to Justice

Described by U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Merten as a central figure in one of history’s largest fraud schemes, Ignatova, 44, exploited OneCoin’s fraudulent structure to entice investors globally. Despite promises of lucrative returns, OneCoin lacked any real cryptocurrency basis and functioned through a network of promoters who recruited investors under false pretenses.

Several of Ignatova’s associates have been convicted for their roles in the scheme, with significant prison sentences and financial penalties imposed. Efforts to locate Ignatova have extended across multiple countries, including Germany and the United Arab Emirates, where she may have fled using a German passport.

The pursuit of Missing Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova has intensified as Bulgaria prepares to pursue charges against her in absentia, aiming to confiscate assets exceeding €10 million. Karl Sebastian Greenwood, another co-founder of OneCoin, was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the cryptocurrency fraud scheme.