A UK court has issued a global asset freeze against Ruja Ignatova, the missing “Cryptoqueen” behind the $4.5 billion OneCoin scheme scam.
A London High Court has decided a global freeze on assets linked to individuals involved in the $4 billion OneCoin scheme scam case. This includes Ruja Ignatova, known as the “Cryptoqueen,” who has been missing for over six years since 2017. Ignatova was the founder of OneCoin, one of the biggest crypto-related scams of all time, earning her and associates over $4 billion. The global assets freeze aims to prevent these assets from being moved or sold, helping victims recover their losses.
UK Court Freezes Assets Linked to OneCoin Scheme Scam
On August 7, over 400 victims of the OneCoin fraud asked the UK High Court to freeze the assets of individuals accused in the OneCoin scheme scam case. This involves assets belonging to Ruja Ignatova, Christopher Hamilton, Robert MacDonald, and One Coin co-founder Sebastian Greenwood, who received a 20-year prison sentence in the US last year. These individuals are suspected of laundering money for OneCoin.
The court order also targets four influencers Karri Wahlroos, Dr. Muhammed Zafar, Moynul Islam, and his brother Monirul Islam who promoted OneCoin and various businesses used by Ignatova to hide and spend money.
Rhymal Persad, a partner at the law firm Mishcon de Reya representing One Coin, said the court’s decision aims to help investors who lost money in the OneCoin scheme scam. He stated
“The fraudulent OneCoin scheme greatly impacted the lives of its victims who ranged from sophisticated to lay investors, all of whom lost significant sums in what is believed to be one of the largest frauds ever perpetrated.”
OneCoin Scheme Scam Fraud
OneCoin, launched in 2014, was marketed as a cryptocurrency investment but turned out to be a Ponzi scheme, defrauding investors worldwide. In the UK alone, investors lost over £100 million.
Key points:
Ruja Ignatova’s associates: Her brother, Konstantin Ignatov, pleaded guilty to money laundering and fraud in 2019 and was released after three years for cooperating with US investigators. OneCoin lawyer Mark Scott was sentenced to 10 years for bank fraud and money laundering in 2024.
Legal actions: The ongoing legal actions and asset freezes aim to bring justice to the victims. The law firm Mishcon de Reya, representing the investors, stated that more victims can still join the claim.
Where is Ruja Ignatova? FBI Offers Record Reward
Ruja Ignatova is accused of running a $4 billion Ponzi scheme with OneCoin from 2014 until it collapsed in 2017, the same year she disappeared.
The FBI has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest of Ruja Ignatova, the “Cryptoqueen,” from $100,000 to $5 million (or 4 million Euros). This is organized by the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova has been on the FBI and Europe’s most wanted lists for several years, but her whereabouts remain unknown.
The FBI believes Ruja Ignatova might have a German passport, allowing her to travel to the UAE and most of Europe. Her last known trip was from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, in 2017. They also think she might have had plastic surgery to avoid being caught.
Also Read:- Crypto for Harris Campaign: Targeting Crypto Voters For 2024 Election
