The Bulgarian "OneCoin" inventor Ruja Ignatova has probably brought investors around 4 billion US dollars. From the "crypto-queen", however, lacks any trace and the FBI determined.
The alleged cryptocurrency "Onecoin" is at the center of the largest crypto fraud case yet, but the machinations have been discovered. According to investigators hundreds of thousands of investors could have lost more than $ 4 billion through the alleged cryptocurrency, which promised investors quick riches. Where the money has remained is currently unknown.
The main offender is the Bulgarian Ruja Ignatova. In London and elsewhere, she promoted Onecoin as an elegant inventor and made great promises to investors. Onecoin was touted as a "Bitcoin killer". Media gave her the title of "crypto-queen". She allegedly brought hundreds of thousands of people for her money.
Entrepreneur with mafia relationships
Her brother, Konstantin Ignatov, has according to the investigative site Inner City Press at least confessed to American FBI investigators and admitted several offenses in New York, including money laundering and fraud. Many investors are coming from the UK. The BBC has released a major podcast series about the machinations of the alleged cryptocoin inventor, who also allegedly has connections to the Bulgarian mafia.
Despite all this, there is still a website on which Onecoin stirs the advertising drum. It is advertised with slogans like: "Be part of the financial revolution." and Onecoin is "the first transparent, global cryptocurrency for everyone". The advertised digital money promised high returns for investors. It also announced that millions of people in underdeveloped countries in Africa and Asia will have access to financial services.
Onecoin is a pyramid system
Onecoin was and still is not a cryptocurrency, based on the blockchain technology, but a rather simple pyramid scheme: The first investors could make high profits, as more and more investors put money in the system, but in the end are high losses. Although Onecoin denies any illegal activity on the site, such methods are fraudulent.
In 2017, Onecoin is said to have raised more than $ 4 billion from investors worldwide, including some £ 100 million from British citizens. In October 2017 Ruja Ignatova disappeared suddenly, since then she is wanted by the FBI.
Onecoin in the BBC news: