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FBI adds 'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova to top ten most wanted

Ruja Ignatova, also known as the "missing Cryptoqueen", has been added to the FBI's top 10 most wanted list. Ignatova was the mastermind of OneCoin, a crypto scam. She is the only woman on the list.

Mirror Now Digital

Updated Jul 1, 2022, 16:16 IST

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Ruja Ignatova, also known as the ‘missing cryptoqueen’ has been added to the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list. Ignatova was the mastermind of ‘OneCoin’ a crypto scam and is said to have defrauded victims out of more than $4bn (400 crores). Ignatova has been missing since 2017 when US officials signed an arrest warrant and investigators had begun closing in on her as reported by the BBC.

She traveled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, on October 25, 2017, and has not been seen since. Her brother Konstantin Ignatov was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in March 2019 and later pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a deal with US authorities. reported the Hindustan Times.

42-year-old Ignatova is a German citizen. ‘OneCoin’ is said to be one of the most notorious scams in the world of crypto currencies. OneCoin, a self-described cryptocurrency, offered its buyers a commission if they sold the currency on to more people in 2014. However, according to FBI agents, OneCoin was worthless and was never safeguarded by the blockchain technology which is used by other cryptocurrencies.

Ignatova was charged with eight counts including wire fraud and securities fraud in 2019. "She timed her scheme perfectly, capitalising on the frenzied speculation of the early days of cryptocurrency," said Damian Williams, Manhattan's top federal prosecutor as reported by the BBC.

The FBI adds fugitives to its most-wanted list when there is a possibility that the general public may be able to help the agency track them down. A bureau notice published on Thursday offered a $100,000 reward for any information which could lead to the arrest of Ignatova, reported the BBC.

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