FBI Offers Reward For Ruja Ignatova, Who Stole $4-B In Crypto Ponzi Scheme

A German citizen accused of scamming investors out of $4 billion by selling a bogus cryptocurrency called OneCoin has been placed on the FBI's list of the ten most-wanted fugitives, according to Reuters.

Photo Insert: Ruja Ignatova, popularly known as "Cryptoqueen"

Ruja Ignatova, popularly known as "Cryptoqueen," was charged with eight charges of wire fraud and securities fraud in 2019 for operating the Bulgaria-based OneCoin Ltd as a pyramid scam.

Prosecutors claim the company paid members commissions to induce others to buy a worthless cryptocurrency. "She timed her scheme perfectly, capitalizing on the frenzied speculation of the early days of cryptocurrency," said Damian Williams, Manhattan's senior federal prosecutor.

OneCoin was described by Williams as "one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history."

According to Williams, Ignatova vanished in late 2017 after bugging her American boyfriend's residence and discovering he was assisting with an FBI investigation into OneCoin. He claims she boarded an aircraft from Bulgaria to Greece and hasn't been seen since.

According to CNN, the FBI's associate director-in-charge in New York, Michael Driscoll, is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to Ignatova's capture.

Driscoll declined to comment on any leads as to Ignatova's whereabouts. The FBI adds fugitives to its most-wanted list when it believes the public can help hunt down suspects.

"She left with a tremendous amount of money," Driscoll told reporters before adding, "Money can buy a lot of friends."

Ignatova was indicted alongside Mark Scott, a former corporate lawyer who authorities said laundered roughly $400 million for OneCoin. Scott was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to commit bank fraud after a three-week trial in federal court in Manhattan.

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