The FBI has been actively searching for her, noting that among the 529 fugitives on their list, Ignatova is one of only 11 women and the sole woman in the top 10.
Ruja Ignatova, the mastermind behind the fraudulent cryptocurrency OneCoin, holds the notorious title of the world's most wanted woman. Known as the "Missing Cryptoqueen," Ignatova is accused of defrauding over $4.5 billion (Rs 37,000 crore), from investors worldwide. Her actions have placed the 42-year-old on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list.
The fraudulent scheme began in 2014 when Ignatova lured investors globally with her new company, OneCoin. In 2016, she even took the stage at London's Wembley Arena, promoting OneCoin as a lucrative rival to Bitcoin in the burgeoning cryptocurrency market. However, just sixteen months later, in October 2017, Ignatova vanished. She boarded a plane at Sofia in Bulgaria, and disappeared with the stolen money, coinciding with the US authorities filing a sealed indictment and warrant for her arrest.
Since then, her whereabouts remain unknown, and law enforcement agencies have struggled to find any trace of her. The FBI has been actively searching for her, noting that among the 529 fugitives on their list, Ignatova is one of only 11 women and the sole woman in the top 10. She is also one of Europe's most wanted fugitives.
Ruja Ignatova is a German citizen, born in Bulgaria. Her father was an engineer, and her mother was a teacher. After studying European law at Oxford University, Ignatova worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in Sofia.
According to the FBI, on October 25, 2017, Ignatova travelled from Sofia to Athens and may have moved to other locations afterward. She is believed to use a German passport and may travel to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece, and/or Eastern Europe. The FBI also warns that she might travel with armed guards and could have altered her appearance through plastic surgery.
OneCoin, as authorities describe, was essentially a pyramid scheme that defrauded individuals out of more than $4 billion. Ignatova convinced investors in the US and globally to invest in OneCoin, claiming it would surpass Bitcoin. However, unlike other cryptocurrencies backed by secured, independent blockchain technology, OneCoin was worthless. In 2019, the US unsealed an indictment against Ignatova, charging her with wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and securities fraud.
US Attorney Damian Williams, New York's top prosecutor, stated last month, "Ignatova and her partners conned unsuspecting victims out of billions of dollars, claiming that OneCoin would be the 'Bitcoin killer.' In fact, OneCoins were entirely worthless... (Their) lies were designed with one goal, to get everyday people all over the world to part with their hard-earned money," as reported by CNN.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}