Ruja Ignatova’s arrest bounty has been bumped to $250,000.
When Ignatova was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wished Fugitives checklist in July 2022, the unique bounty was $100,000.
Given OneCoin was a $4 billion Ponzi scheme, this appeared slightly on the sunshine aspect. $250,000 isn’t comparatively vital however is nonetheless greater than the unique bounty provided.
Ignatova’s arrest bounty rising is sadly not particular to the continued OneCoin investigation.
The FBI introduced final month that “it’s now providing as much as $250,000 for data resulting in the arrest of a Ten Most Wished Fugitive.”
Ignatova’s FBI Prime Ten Most Wished Fugitive entry cites her aliases as “Dr. Ruja Ignatova, Ruja Plamenova Ignatova, Ruja P. Ignatova and CryptoQueen”.
Ignatova was born on Could thirtieth, 1980 in Bulgaria. She has darkish brown to black hair, brown eyes and speaks English, German and Bulgarian.
Ignatova served as OneCoin’s prime chief via October 2017. On October 25, 2017, Ignatova traveled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, and will have traveled elsewhere after that.
She might journey on a German passport to the United Arab Emirates, Bulgaria, Germany, Russia, Greece and/or Jap Europe.
There have been studies Ignatova, if she’s nonetheless alive, has undergone vital beauty procedures to change her look. These studies stay unconfirmed.
Earlier this yr two BIRD journalists reported Ignatova was murdered on a yacht in 2018. The speculation was based mostly on a police report sourced from the secure of a murdered Bulgarian detective.
Each the hit and detective’s homicide have ties to Bulgarian crimelord Christophoros Amanatidis-Taki.
Final month Karimir Nikolaev Kemnov, his spouse and two different victims had been gunned down in South Africa. Kemnov, a former affiliate of Taki’s, is believed to have been helping US authorities with their OneCoin investigation.
Because the physique rely rises round him, it seems Taki is tying up unfastened ends. I can’t say for certain but it surely’s doubtless he is aware of if Ruja Ignatova continues to be alive, or what occurred to her.
Taki is believed to be hiding out in Dubai. Bulgarian authorities will not be investigating the infamous crimelord, largely because of Prosecutor-Normal Ivan Geshev shielding OneCoin and linked criminals and politicians.
Geshev was fired final month by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. Whether or not his successor opens a OneCoin investigation and pursues Taki stays to be seen.
Another person who doubtless is aware of the place Ruja is or what occurred to her is Frank Schneider (proper).
Schneider, a former Luxembourg spy grasp, was indicted on OneCoin associated prison costs someday after 2019.
Schneider’s function inside OneCoin was to supervise cash laundering and report on to Ruja Ignatova.
Schneider is believed to have tipped off Ignatova to the FBI’s investigation into her, resulting in her 2017 disappearance.
Schneider purportedly learnt of the FBI’s investigation via intelligence leaked from Bulgarian authorities.
Schneider’s indictment led to his arrest in France in Could 2021. Schneider had travelled from Luxembourg for a vacation.
Luxembourg doesn’t extradite its nationals and, as a result of Schneider’s political connections, is believed to have been turning a blind-eye to his fraud.
Though it will definitely accepted Schneider’s extradition to the US, France didn’t correctly safe Schneider. Upon studying of his pending extradition, Schneider fled France in April 2023.
Schneider stays a needed fugitive. He’s believed to be hiding out in both Luxembourg or Dubai.
