07-01-2022, 10:14 AM
FBI adds ‘Cryptoqueen’ to Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List after alleged $4 billion OneCoin fraud
- The FBI added Dr. Ruja Ignatova, the so-called ‘Cryptoqueen,’ to its list of Ten Most Wanted fugitives.
- The agency is also offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.
- Ignatova, the founder of a cryptocurrency called OneCoin that was launched in 2014, allegedly defrauded investors of more than $4 billion over three years before disappearing.
![[Image: 800px-Dr._Ruja_Ignatova.jpg?20150814083046]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Dr._Ruja_Ignatova.jpg/800px-Dr._Ruja_Ignatova.jpg?20150814083046)
WASHINGTON — The FBI on Thursday added Dr. Ruja Ignatova, the self-proclaimed ‘Cryptoqueen,’ to its list of Ten Most Wanted fugitives, and is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.
Ignatova, the founder of a cryptocurrency called OneCoin that was launched in 2014, allegedly defrauded investors of more than $4 billion over three years, before disappearing. Europol added her to Europe’s most wanted list last month.
Investigators say the Bulgarian-based project had no blockchain securing transactions and coins were essentially minted out of thin air. Bitcoin, by contrast, is secured by a global network of miners who maintain a public ledger, or blockchain.
The Southern District of New York held a press conference on Thursday morning to announce the addition of Ignatova to its top fugitives list.
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