The US State Department is offering a reward of up to $5,000,000 for information on one of the biggest crypto mysteries.
In its statement, the government says it is seeking information from the public that could lead to the arrest and/or conviction of German citizen Ruja Ignatova, one of the key figures behind the OneCoin scheme.
Ignatova, a Bulgarian known as the “Queen of Cryptocurrency,” founded OneCoin in 2014 and ran the company as a multi-level marketing (MLM) network. She falsely claimed that the project supported a private blockchain, and the scam reportedly attracted more than 3.5 million victims, defrauding them of an estimated $4 billion.
In November of this year, Irina Dilkinska, OneCoin's "chief compliance officer," pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering arising from her involvement in the project.
U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos later sentenced Dilkinska to four years in prison.
Since Ignatova went missing more than seven years ago, many are wondering if she is even alive. A February 2023 report by BIRD, a Bulgarian investigative publication, indicated that she may have been killed on the orders of suspected drug lord Christoforos "Taki" Amanatidis.
A new report from the BBC indicates that US government lawyers believe Ignatova hired Amanatidis as her security chief. Another US government lawyer reportedly said in court that the head of the security service was "involved in the disappearance" of Ignatova.
The BBC also reports that leaked Europol documents indicate police suspect Taki used the OneCoin financial network to launder drug money.
Those wishing to provide information about Ignatova to the FBI can do so through several channels.
“If you have information, please contact the FBI via Telegram: @RujaReward, Signal: @RujaReward.01 or online at tips.fbi.gov. If you are outside the US, you can also visit your nearest US embassy or consulate. If you are in the US, you can also contact your local FBI office."
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