Wanted! This woman's head is valued at IDR 81 billion
Ruja Ignatova (Photo: FBI Doc)
- A woman nicknamed the 'Crypto Queen', Dr Ruja Ignatova is on the FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives list. His head is valued at $5 million or around Rp. 81 billion.
Through the OneCoin Ponzi scheme which he claimed could compete with Bitcoin, Ruja deceived many people. This woman from Bulgaria, who is known for her glamor, has ensnared victims from 175 countries. It is said that the funds that had been collected and taken away reached €4 billion or IDR 70 trillion.
Quoting Wolipop from Vice, Ruja founded OneCoin in 2014 when not many people knew about cryptocurrencies. At that time, he introduced it while holding luxurious parties in various countries. Dressed in a ball gown and diamond jewelry, Ruja managed to convince investors that her cryptocurrency would beat bitcoin.
Ruja was charged by the United States government with eight counts, including wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. Still not found since being on the 'Most Wanted' list, the FBI has increased the reward amount for anyone who can provide information about Ruja. Initially the FBI only offered IDR 1.5 billion.
"We are offering a reward of up to $5 million (Rp. 81 billion) for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of German citizen Ruja Ignatova, known as the 'Cryptoqueen,' for her role in one of the largest global fraud schemes in history," said spokesmanUS State Matthew Miller.
The woman has been missing since 2017 when an international search began. Ruja found out he was a fugitive after bugging his girlfriend Gilbert Armenta's house and finding the man collaborating with the FBI to leak OneCoin.
Dr Ruja Ignatova Photo: Doc. F.B.I
He then flew from Bulgaria to Greece and since then no trace of him has been found. There are many theories regarding Dr Ruja's disappearance. Some say he hid in a number of countries with a fake passport. There are those who say the woman disguised herself by means of plastic surgery. The FBI also suspects that Ruja may have been traveling with security and accomplices. The company itself is said to still be holding events and attracting investors in Latin America, Asia and Romania.
