The FBI has added Bulgarian National Ruja Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list for participating in multi-million dollar fraud and offered $100,000 for information that would lead to her capture, the FBI announced in a release.
“The FBI New York, along with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York and the IRS Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, named Ruja Ignatova (a.k.a. ‘Cryptoqueen’) to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list for allegedly defrauding investors of billions of dollars,” the release said on Thursday. “The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to her arrest.”
The FBI said Ignatova has been indicated by a federal grand jury and the US District Court for Southern District of New York issued a warrant for her arrest in October 2017.
“In February 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,” the release said.
The FBI said Ignatova founded OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed an alleged cryptocurrency, but to execute the scheme she made false statements and representations to individuals in order to solicit investments. 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 release said The FBI also said OneCoin is believed to have defrauded victims out of more than $4 billion.
Ignatova may travel on a German passport to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and/or countries in Eastern Europe, the FBI added.
Source: Reuters
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