The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) included Roja Ignatova, nicknamed the “Queen of Cryptocurrency”, on its list of the 10 most wanted persons. The 40-year-old Bulgarian woman is wanted by US authorities for her role in running a fraud by promoting a fake cryptocurrency known as OneCoin. Federal investigators accuse the fugitive of using a Ponzi scheme to seize more than $4 billion from her victims. It is noteworthy that Ignatova has been in hiding since 2017, when the FBI issued an arrest warrant for her.
Investors contributed to what was being promoted as a new vision for money, presented by Dr. Roja Ignatova, at a series of events around the world, one of which was at Wembley Stadium in London in 2016. “Dr. Roja”, as her audience knew her, was addressing the crowds and telling them of her progress “One Coin”, and it is on its way to outperform and acquire the “Bitcoin” brand, and eliminate all fake coins that imitate our idea.
An investigation by the British “BBC” network revealed the extent to which the “OneCoin” currency succeeded in spreading its message around the world, as company documents show that individuals from 175 countries invested their money in the counterfeit currency, and that most of the investments were collected within six months of the year. 2016, during Roja’s world tour.
The investments of residents of the United Kingdom during that period amounted to more than 31 million dollars, while the total British investments in counterfeit currency amounted to about 116 million dollars. The documents also show that China alone contributed about $445 million in 2016, and a large number of investments came from South Korea, Hong Kong and Germany. And poor countries were not absent from the scene, as investors from Vietnam, Bangladesh and Uganda participated in large sums.
An FBI notice offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Ignatova, who in 2019 was charged with eight counts of electronic fraud and securities fraud. The FBI adds fugitives to its wanted list when it believes the general public may be able to help track them down.