Are you a victim? FBI looking for ‘Cryptoqueen’

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Ruja Ignatova, who’s better known as the “Cryptoqueen.”

Ignatova is on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list for allegedly defrauding investors of billions of dollars in a scheme that began around 2014.

According to the FBI, Ignatova was the founder of OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed a purported cryptocurrency. She allegedly made false statements and representations to individuals in order to solicit investments in OneCoin.

“She allegedly instructed victims to transmit investment funds to OneCoin accounts in order to purchase OneCoin packages, causing victims to send wire transfers representing these investments,” the FBI said. “Throughout the scheme, OneCoin is believed to have defrauded victims out of more than $4 billion.”

It is unknown if any Hawaii residents were victims of Ignatova’s fraud scheme. FBI Honolulu told KHON2 they can neither confirm nor deny if they are conducting an investigation.

Ignatova served as OneCoin’s top leader through October 2017. The United States District Court, Southern District of New York, issued a warrant for her arrest that year. Then in 2018, a superseding indictment was issued charging Ignatova with one count each of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; Conspiracy to Commit Securities Fraud; and Securities Fraud.

FBI says Ignatova and others are alleged to have defrauded billions of dollars from investors all over the world. She is known to have traveled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece on Oct. 25, 2017, and may have traveled elsewhere after that. She may travel on a German passport to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and/or Eastern Europe.

Anyone with information on Ignatova’s whereabouts are asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI also believes there may be more victims who have yet to be identified, and they are also encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.