BBC reports have brought to light that Ruja Ignatova, also known as the elusive “CryptoQueen” and the brains behind OneCoin, might be using Russia as a refuge to escape extradition and criminal prosecution.
Investigative journalists have pieced together clues suggesting that after her 2017 disappearance, Ignatova has been possibly taking shelter in Russia. The infamous ‘CryptoQueen’ launched the OneCoin pyramid scheme in 2014, swindling investors out of close to $4 billion through a vast network of promoters worldwide. Ignatova became a ghost when legal authorities started closing in, leaving her current condition or location a mystery until now.
Frank Schneider, previously in charge of Ignatova’s security, allegedly disclosed her connections with Kremlin officials. Further investigations by former Bellingcat researcher Yoran Tsalov have linked OneCoin’s financial support to Viktor Yanukovich, the ex-President of Ukraine known for his pro-Russian stance. Tsalov’s investigations suggest Ignatova might have helped launder millions for Yanukovich, who now lives in exile in Russia after being convicted of treason by Ukraine’s highest court.
While theories about Ignatova’s whereabouts proliferate, German investigators recently theorized she might have fled to South Africa. According to crypto.news, evidence points to Ignatova living in an upscale Cape Town neighborhood, a known haven for international fugitives. Her brother Konstantin’s frequent visits to Cape Town post-disappearance have only added to the speculation. Upon his arrest by the FBI, Konstantin revealed that the ‘CryptoQueen’ had escaped with over $630 million, presumably to fund her new life under a false identity.
After collaborating with U.S. authorities and shedding light on the OneCoin scam, Konstantin served a three-year sentence in a U.S. prison. Meanwhile, Bulgarian authorities have floated the grim theory that Ignatova might have been murdered, her body disposed of in the Ionian Sea. Despite the swirling rumors of her fate, the global search for Ignatova intensifies, with the U.S. State Department offering a hefty $5 billion reward for information leading to her capture.
As the legal net tightens around other OneCoin associates, Irina Dilkinska, the scheme’s former legal and compliance head, recently received a four-year prison sentence, and lawyer Mark Scott was sentenced to ten years in January, the quest for justice in the OneCoin saga continues.
