The U.S. State Department on Wednesday announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of alleged cryptocurrency fraudster Ruja Ignatova. Photo by the FBI
June 26 (UPI) — The U.S. State Department is offering a $5 million reward for information that leads to the arrest or conviction of alleged cryptocurrency fraudster Ruja Ignatova.
The State Department announced the reward in an online news release and describes Ignatova, 42, as a participant in “one of the largest global fraud schemes in history.”
The so-called “cryptoqueen” is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and is accused of participating in a global cryptocurrency fraud scheme.
Federal investigators say Ignatova co-founded OneCoinLtd. while living in Bulgaria in 2014.
Since then, Ignatova and her cohorts allegedly defrauded investors by making false statements about OneCoin’s value as a cryptocurrency.
Federal investigators say Ignatova and others defrauded investors of $4 billion by 2017.
The U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York on Oct. 12, 2017, indicted Ignatova and charged her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Federal investigators says Ignatova left Sofia, Bulgaria, for Athens, Greece, to evade arrest two weeks after the federal indictment in New York.
She has been a fugitive since then.
The federal court in February 2018 issued a superseding indictment charging Ignatova with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud, in addition to the other federal charges against her.
Prosecutors in Germany also have charged Ignatova with crimes related to the alleged fraud scheme.
The FBI added her to its most wanted list in 2022 and is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.