The U.S. government has announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Ruja Ignatova, the Onecoin co-founder who is wanted for orchestrating one of the largest global fraud schemes. Ignatova has been a fugitive since 2017 after Onecoin defrauded investors of over $4 billion.

US Offers $5 Million Reward for Fugitive Ruja Ignatova

The U.S. Department of State announced on Wednesday a reward offer of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Ruja Ignatova, the co-founder of the notorious Onecoin cryptocurrency fraud scheme. The announcement details:

The Department of State is announcing a reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of German national Ruja Ignatova, wanted in the United States for her participation in one of the largest global fraud schemes in history.

Ignatova, co-founder of Onecoin Ltd., began defrauding investors worldwide in approximately 2014 in Bulgaria, the announcement details. She promoted Onecoin as a digital currency investment through false statements and misrepresentations, which attracted billions of dollars from investors. By 2017, Onecoin is believed to have defrauded victims of over $4 billion.

On Oct. 12, 2017, Ignatova was indicted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Two weeks later, she fled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, to evade arrest and has been a fugitive since. In February 2018, a superseding indictment added charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud.

In 2022, Ignatova was added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. The FBI offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to her arrest. Germany has also charged her criminally for her involvement in the transnational fraud scheme. She is also among Europe’s most wanted fugitives.

The Department of State’s announcement adds:

Today’s reward offer of up to $5 million is authorized by the Secretary under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice.

While a number of individuals involved in the Onecoin scheme have been arrested and indicted, Ignatova remains at large. Despite a global manhunt and multiple efforts to track her down, her whereabouts are still unknown. There have been unconfirmed reports suggesting that she might have been killed, adding a layer of mystery and intrigue to the case. However, without concrete evidence, these reports remain speculative, and the search for Ignatova continues.

What do you think about the U.S. government’s $5 million reward offer for Ruja Ignatova? Do you think she is still alive? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source: news.bitcoin.com.