OneCoin was not a cryptocurrency and it did not have blockchain technology. "We made in our first month almost 90,000 out of nothing. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Dr Ignatova pulled off one of the world's biggest ever scams, based on her new cryptocurrency called 'OneCoin', before disappearing in 2017. He claimed to be a good Samaritan, someone who had studied OneCoin carefully and wanted to speak to people who had invested. Blame is not easy to apportion. ", The City of London Police told the BBC: "There was insufficient evidence to support criminal proceedings against individuals based in the UK, though the force has never specified that there had been no concerns surrounding OneCoin. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Some are divorced.". The 42-year-old Bulgarian-born woman is wanted for her alleged role in running a cryptocurrency scam known as OneCoin. It suggests she is still alive, and there are documents out there somewhere which contain vital clues as to her recent whereabouts. Authorities say she may have. It represents the dark side of rapid technological change - the way that every new technology creates amazing new opportunities and possibilities for people who understand it, but also the chance to exploit the people who don't. Sixty per cent of the income Igor Alberts and Andreea Cimbala made from OneCoin (in the end, more than 2m per month) was paid in cash, the rest in OneCoin. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The FCA said it had been up for long enough, but OneCoin promoters presented this as proof that the UK authorities considered OneCoin a legitimate investment. If it's true she was in these countries earlier this year, she probably has a fake identity. People involved at the early stages have told him it was never supposed to be a billion-dollar scam. Born on May 30, 1980, in Bulgaria, Ignatova moved to Germany with her family when she was 10 years old. She had been impressed by Ruja and the upward trend in the price of OneCoin without the fluctuations other cryptocurrencies usually have. 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Less than a year later, the warning was removed from the website. It seemed like easy money. And then in 2017, the ownership of Artefix was sold to an unknown man in his 20s. Not guilt," he replies. "In my opinion, for what it's worth, she's moving around the Mediterranean," he says. The manager of the database could go in and change it at will. [19], In 2022, prosecutors in Darmstadt, Germany confirmed an investigation of "a lawyer from Neu-Isenburg" for possible money laundering: the transfer of 7.69 million euros by Ignatova into one of her private accounts in 2016. "We've been unable to identify UK-based assets, which could be used to compensate UK investors. Following her studies, she became a . Thanks for contacting us. Dr. Ruja Ignatova is the only scammer who is on both the FBI and Interpol's 2022 Ten Most Wanted Lists. He already had 400,000 shillings in savings, and to raise the rest he returned from the capital, Kampala, to his family home, took three goats raised by his younger brothers, and sold them. Far from putting an end to their financial worries, she and her friends and family had thrown a quarter of a million euros away. Igor Alberts, the MLM seller, also talks about the involvement of "very influential people". They thought I ate their money.". The FBI did not comment on the Europol documents, but Special Agent Paul Roberts told the podcast: "There were investigations all around the world into her, and into OneCoin generally, many of which she had become aware of due to actions by law enforcement in other countries.". '", Money might push people to invest in the first place, but the sense of belonging, of doing something, of achieving something, is why they stay, Barker says. Ruja Ignatova, also known as the "missing Cryptoqueen", received police information about investigations into her $4bn (3.5bn) cryptocurrency fraud before she disappeared, it is claimed. All of them were "very up-tempo, full of beans, full of passion", she remembers. Following her studies, she became a consultant for McKinsey and Co. Bishop Fred, we learned, is now one of the country's top promoters of OneCoin, though he says it's no longer promoted during church services. Ruja Ignatova, or Dr. Ruja, was a prominent figure in the growing cryptocurrency market. We already knew that Dr Ruja spent some of her childhood in Schramberg, southern Germany. 16 months' suspended imprisonment for a previous case. Listen to The Missing Cryptoqueen podcast on BBC Sounds - the search for Dr Ruja Ignatova continues, with a new episode about the police leak out on 19 October. After Dr Ruja's non-appearance in Lisbon, a point came when Igor Alberts, like Jen McAdam, asked to see evidence of the blockchain. Dr. Ruja Ignatova, 41, pictured here in 2015, is wanted by Interpol because they say she cheated people who wanted to invest their money in cryptocurrency. The police files contain presentations made at an "Operation Satellite" Europol meeting in The Hague on 15 March 2017. The FBI added Dr. Ruja Ignatova, the so-called 'Cryptoqueen,' to its list of Ten Most Wanted fugitives. The police documents were passed to The Missing Cryptoqueen podcast by Frank Schneider, a former spy and trusted adviser to Ms Ignatova. One of the main OneCoin offices in Kampala is attached to a church. And, most frustratingly of all, she correctly guessed that by the time we realised it, she'd be gone, along with the money. She understood that truth and lies are getting harder to tell apart when there is so much contradictory information online. Her collaborators started getting arrested on securities and fraud charges and money laundering. But when it comes to someone trying to find them - whether that's a journalist or a police officer - they are invisible.". They are still friends, even though both now realise it's a scam. The US Department of Prosecutions has charged Ignatova with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud. The only way to exchange these OneCoins for any other currency was through an internal marketplaceOneCoin Exchange, known as xcoinx. It was a cryptocurrency company, and it had been running for a while - but it didn't have a blockchain. I've even heard that she might be in London. It's mathematic. In early 2019, she was charged in absentia by U.S. authorities for wire fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. I don't want those people I introduced into OneCoin to see me moving around. The nature of MLM networks - where people often recruit others who are close to them - creates a blurred sense of responsibility. He doesn't seem certain it's a good idea. But earlier this month, Ignatova reportedly came out of the woodwork to claim one of her properties. Even Google - 'Don't listen to Google!'" We will be there for a week and wanted to take various day trips as well as tour the actual city. In 2016, Ms. McAdam had been in bed due to a chronic illness and she was unable to work. All over the world, people were already investing their savings into OneCoin, hoping to be part of this new revolution. Ruja Ignatova, with the help of a partner, created a crypto currency that was a scam. No wonder it spread like wildfire. From a tiny fragment of a poster advertising a tennis tournament, an expert identified the park in which one photograph was taken. Although Jen McAdam had now seen the light, few other OneCoin investors had. [24], The Federal Bureau of Investigation added Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, and announced at a joint press conference with IRS Criminal Investigation and United States Attorney's Office Southern District of New York, offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to her arrest. When I ask him who might be behind the threats, he won't elaborate. But in Africa, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent, it was the other way round. She now runs Whatsapp support groups for OneCoin investors who realise they have been swindled. She started her own company, OneCoin, in 2014 with her brother Konstantin Ignatov, which was touted as a lucrative rival to the leading . [11][failed verification] In 2005, she earned a PhD in private international law from the University of Constance in Germany with the dissertation Art. He was an Italian immigrant whose investment scam resulted in people losing tens of millions of dollars. But towards the end of the year Jen McAdam was contacted by a stranger on the internet. His colleagues - also private investigators - visited top-end restaurants in Athens armed with photos of Ruja, and in one of them several waiters claimed to clearly remember her dining there earlier this year. When there is nothing of value to sell, though, and all the money is made by recruiting other people, it is illegal and goes by another name: a pyramid scheme. Ruja Ignatova is wanted for her alleged participation in a large-scale fraud scheme. He claims he has made 100m over the last 30 years. There are also investors who feel guilty. "Go back to her life before OneCoin. she shouted. From the very beginning, she was a gifted child and always at the top of her class. 'Haters' - Bitcoiners are 'haters'. We soak up the atmosphere, cheer the British contestant, and then leave. "They're very easy to set up and they look legitimate.". In October 2022, a documentary called "CryptoqueenThe OneCoin Scam" debuted at Mipcom Cannes. You can also see more on the next episode of BBC Click. It is believed that more than a million investors from 175 countries were defrauded into investing in OneCoin. This is clearly a question for a professional, which is why Georgia and I went to see private investigator Alan McLean. Sky Germany, the U.K.'s Channel 4 and super-indie Fremantle are backing a three-part doc series about the con, which was spearheaded by the mysterious Dr. Ruja Ignatova, who is still on the run . Documents leaked to the BBC show that British people spent almost 30m on OneCoin in the first six months of 2016, 2m of it in a single week - and the rate of investment could have increased after the Wembley extravaganza. Except now with plastic surgery, and so harder to spot. No lights visible through the windows. His mother had doubts, but he persuaded her to put the money into OneCoin instead. The. A reward of $100,000 is offered by the FBI for information leading to her arrest. She asks what news we have about OneCoin. Daniel is one of thousands of Ugandans who've bought into Dr Ruja's fake cryptocurrency - and the OneCoin financial documents leaked to the BBC reveal that as time went on, investors like him became increasingly important to OneCoin. Then he tries checking the company's owners. A postman thought he recognised the name, but couldn't be sure. The FBI launched their most wanted list in 1950 and of the 529 fugitives that have earned an honorable mention, shes one of just 11 women. The degrees are genuine. [5][6], Since 2017, Ignatova has been on the run from various international law enforcement agencies. For a long time, people have tried to create a form of digital money independent of state-backed currencies. A senior promoter gave her a nice car to impress customers, and instructed her to visit farmers when their crops were being harvested and they had money in their pocket. The power of the woman - well done! You told me it was a cryptocurrency company.'". The Onecoin Ponzi was a multi-level-marketing (MLM) venture that featured packages that were ostensibly tethered to a blockchain network. "That's what they call it. "I've been telling her it's changing. London, June 11, 2016. VIA HACHETTE BOOKS. "Once OneCoin was running above 10 million, 20 million, 30 million, something happened where she was unable to stop it," Bjercke says. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 21:13. The UK began to insist recently that companies must enter the name of the person with "significant control" - the real owner. A court reporter was there to hear his testimony, and according to his account of the proceedings Ignatov appears to have implied that his sister had duped him with the same line the organisation put out to its investors - that OneCoin critics were "haters" who could not be believed. THE FBI has added a Bulgarian woman dubbed the 'Crypto Queen' to its infamous 10 most wanted list after she stole billions in the biggest scam EVER. [2][7], Born in Ruse, Bulgaria, in 1980,[8] to a Romani family. According to the documents, the meeting was attended by the FBI, the US Department of Justice and the New York District Attorney. 2023 BBC. Several OneCoin events took place in the UK after the FCA took down the warning, and money continued to be invested. His wife, Andreea Cimbala, nods along, adding that if he wakes up and puts on pink underwear, he sticks to pink as he chooses his shirt, trousers and jacket. Ignatov and Greenwood could face a maximum sentence of 90 years in prison. Members could later exchange these educational packages, ranging from 100 euros to 118,000 euros, for OneCoins. She was condemned to 14 months suspended jail sentence. The head office in Sofia, where she was such an imposing presence, didn't know anything either. As a result, lawyers representing Ignatova made a formal claim on the property, listing her as the apartments beneficial owner in a filing with the UKs financial regulator. If nothing else it should make it easier for the authorities to freeze that asset and maybe even start getting money back to victims.. she replied, sharply. Read about our approach to external linking. He points out that he spent millions buying OneCoin, possibly more than anyone else. It's hard to know how much money has been put into OneCoin. Following the success of Bitcoin and the subsequent explosion of its price, investors who bought early at a low price made huge returns. She studied at Oxford University and received a PhD in International Law from the University of Constance. Dr. Ruja Ignatova was born in Sofia, Bulgaria on May 30, 1980. This is also where Dr Ruja's husband - or perhaps ex-husband - lives and works. "Some of their kids are at home sitting without going to school - some don't have anywhere to sleep. I had no clue that it could be false. Game over.". Ruja Plamenova Ignatova ( Bulgarian: , romanized : Rua Plamenova Ignatova; born 30 May 1980) is a Bulgarian -born German citizen and convicted fraudster. OneCoin is no longer operational, with the token unusable and the website inactive. "OneCoins principals continue to operate from Bulgaria," according to Dr Levy. "We gathered the teams together and we started to work like crazy," he says. In June 2022, she was added to the FBI's 10 most wanted list. That's illegal That is an anonymous shell company, as anonymous as anything that you can buy anywhere in the Seychelles or Nevis or the Marshall Islands or Vanuatu.". So it seems Ruja is still alive, and is able to visit a European capital without fearing arrest. Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Ruja Ignatova celebrating her birthday with her husband and OneCoin members. And even then, the question remained, where had she gone next? Until this week, however, the OneCoin head office remained open for business - and people were continuing to promote the currency. ", The webinar hosts talked about Dr Ruja's glittering background: Oxford University, a PhD from Konstanz, a stint with the respected management consultancy, McKinsey and Company A speech Dr Ruja had given at a conference hosted by The Economist magazine was shown - and that's what clinched it for McAdam. Then he says I should check what yachts were bought in Athens around the time she arrived there from Sofia. In general, people are tempted by the idea of making huge profits fast. "I've never told her directly that it's not going to work - that there is no more money, there's no more hope," he tells me. According to Bjercke, Dr Ruja never expected OneCoin to grow so big. On the other hand, Ruja and her collaborators amassed millions, which provided them with an affluent lifestyle: they bought luxury yachts, expensive jewelery and exclusive properties. Igor Alberts, the MLM kingpin, said he'd heard she has Russian and Ukrainian passports and travels back and forth between Russia and Dubai. According to the report, Ignatova was murdered aboard a yacht in the Ionian Sea, and her body was dismembered and cast overboard. The daughter, we were informed, might be in Frankfurt. Looking to get ideas for places to take our 3 year old while in Frankfurt. Nobody - not banks, not governments, or the person who invents it - is in charge or can change it. In court it was revealed that Ignatov signed a plea deal on 4 October, in which he pleaded guilty to several fraud charges. In the Ntangamo region of Uganda, not far from Rwandan border, most people make their living growing bananas, or sometimes cassava, sweet potato, beans or groundnut. Yet a typical recruiting event would include no education, but plenty of discussion about investing in cryptocurrency. Amazingly, even after this, OneCoin continued to function - and people continued to invest in it. Why have so many people continued to believe in OneCoin, despite all the evidence? Today doors are locked. Ruja Ignatova profile summary Full name: Ruja Ignatova Date of birth: 30th May 1980 Place of birth: Sofia, Bulgaria Hometown: Schramberg, Baden-Wrttemberg state, Germany Zodiac Sign: Taurus Age: 41 years Company: OneCoin Nationality: Bulgarian Ethnicity: Caucasian Parents: Veska and Plamen Ignatov Sibling: Konstantin Ignatov The inescapable conclusion was that those rising numbers on the OneCoin website were meaningless - they were just numbers typed into a computer by a OneCoin employee. The alleged motive for the murder was to conceal the drug lord's involvement in the OneCoin scam. By contrast, Jen McAdam says she bears a heavy burden of guilt. That meant that investors could no longer trade their OneCoins and retrieve their investments. She started asking the leaders of her OneCoin group if there was a blockchain. But then I recruit Georgia and Phil to start selling too, and I make a cut on their sales as well. It said the Missing Cryptoqueen podcast "will not present any truthful information and cannot be considered objective, nor unbiased". Every time a Bitcoin is sent from me to someone else, a record of that transaction goes into everyone's book. From that amount, he had collected $50 million in fees. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story.

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