Search for “The World’s Most Dangerous Woman”… $5 Million Reward
The FBI is offering $5 million for information leading to “the world’s most wanted woman.”
The FBI announced Thursday a $5 million reward for information on Ruja Ignatova, known as the “Cryptoqueen.”
According to the US State Department’s website, Ignatova is wanted in the United States for her involvement “in one of the largest global fraud schemes in history.”
Why is She Wanted?
The 44-year-old German woman born in Bulgaria is wanted for orchestrating a fraud scheme against investors with the cryptocurrency called “OneCoin,” worth $4.5 billion, in “one of the largest global fraud schemes in history” before disappearing in 2017.
Ignatova, an Oxford University graduate, remains one of the FBI‘s most elusive suspects after evading international authorities for seven years, according to the US newspaper “New York Post.”
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail,” concerns began to grow when investors who bought “packages” of the online currency could not exchange their money for spendable cash.
Their assets’ value was rising, but there was no way to use them.
The crucial point here is that investors were slowly realizing that the OneCoin lacked the necessary safeguards to protect its value from manipulation.
Who is Ruja Ignatova?
The dark-complexioned woman is believed to travel with armed guards or partners and may have undergone plastic surgery to change her appearance, according to the FBI.
According to US authorities, the “Cryptoqueen” on the run since 2017 claims her birthdate is May 30, 1980, making her 44 years old. She speaks three languages: English, German, and Bulgarian.
Ignatova owns OneCoin Ltd. based in Bulgaria, which promotes a supposed cryptocurrency, according to the same source.
The suspect is said to have grown up in extreme poverty in Bulgaria, where her father worked in a tire shop.
The US State Department states that starting around 2014, Ignatova, as a co-founder of OneCoin Ltd., and others, defrauded investors worldwide of billions of dollars.
Ignatova promoted her company as an investment in digital currencies through false statements to attract investors.
The $5 million reward was authorized by the US Secretary of State under the Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt global crime and bring fugitives to justice.
At the Peak of Her Fame
At the height of her fame, her possessions included an apartment in London’s upscale Kensington neighborhood and a $7 million luxury yacht named “Davina.”
Ignatova was last seen on October 25, 2017, when she boarded a commercial flight from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece.
She was added to the FBI‘s Most Wanted list in June 2022, with the federal government initially offering a $250,000 reward for her capture and conviction.
