Ruja Ignatova, referred to as the Crypto Queen, is back in the spotlight after a high-priced London penthouse went up for sale. Ignatova is the founder of the controversial OneCoin cryptocurrency, a competitor to Bitcoin that rose to great success in 2016. However, in October of 2017, the 42-year-old Bulgarian-born German entrepreneur vanished from the public eye, and is now on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list.
Image Credit: YLE
Uncovering the Crypto Queen
The sale of a luxury penthouse in the London Borough of Kensington sent tongues wagging, as it appeared that the ‘missing crypto queen’ had been staging a secret auction. Listed initially at $15.5 million, the price has since been reduced to $13.6 million. Gerald Ruebsam, Attorney General, suggested that the money from the sale could be used to pay back victims of the OneCoin Ponzi scheme, though it is still not clear if this will be the case.
The property agent in charge of the sale was the luxury real estate provider Knight Frank, who removed the listing shortly after the sale. This has led to speculation that Ruja Ignatova still has strong ties to the property, and investigative reporter Jamie Bartlett noted that this could provide clues as to her recent whereabouts.
“It suggests that she is still alive, and there are documents out there somewhere that contain vital clues to her recent whereabouts.”
The ‘Bitcoin Killer’
Ignatova and her associate in the business, Sebastian Greenwood, created the OneCoin cryptocurrency token, claiming it as a ‘Bitcoin killer’. In 2016, Greenwood claimed that “in two years no one will be talking about Bitcoin anymore”. However, the US government has called OneCoin “one of the most sophisticated Ponzi schemes in history”. John R. Tafur, Special Agent of the IRS, stated:
“OneCoin cryptocurrency was established for the sole purpose of defrauding investors.”
Ignatova and Greenwood began selling OneCoin in 2014, claiming investors could make returns of up to 10 times. They referred to their customers as “idiots” and “crazy” at all levels.
A $100,000 Bounty on the Crypto Queen
Ruja Ignatova is now the only female on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. On the back of her wanted poster is a warning that “Ignatova may have had plastic surgery or altered her appearance”. Meanwhile, Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin’s co-founder, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering in New York in December 2022. The authorities are offering a $100,000 bounty for any information leading to Ignatova’s arrest.
Crypto market cap at $1 trillion over the weekend | Chart: TradingView.com
Featured photo by The Telegraph
