Increased Bounty for Information on Ruja Ignatova
The US authorities have raised the reward for information leading to the capture of Ruja Ignatova, infamously known as the Missing Cryptoqueen, to $5 million. Ignatova, a 44-year-old Bulgarian-born German, is sought by the FBI for masterminding a $4.5 billion cryptocurrency fraud called OneCoin.
Disappearance and ongoing search
Ignatova has been on the run since 2017 when an arrest warrant was issued and US investigators began closing in. Her connections to the Bulgarian underworld and a suspected mafia boss, potentially linked to her disappearance or possible murder, were recently exposed in a BBC podcast and documentary. Despite these revelations, authorities continue their pursuit.
In 2022, the FBI added Ignatova to its top 10 most wanted list, initially offering a $100,000 reward, which was later increased to $250,000. This week, the bounty was significantly raised to $5 million under the US State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Reward Program.
“We are offering a reward up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of German national Ruja Ignatova, known as ‘Cryptoqueen,’ for her role in one of the largest global fraud schemes in history,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. Ignatova is currently the only woman targeted under this program.
An equivalent $5 million reward is offered for information on Daniel Kinahan, head of one of Europe’s largest drug cartels, and Semion Mogilevich, an alleged Russia-based crime boss. The same amount is also available for Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, known as Porky, the highest-ranking member of the MS-13 gang in Honduras.
Legal actions and new developments
German authorities have already charged Ignatova, and Bulgarian officials indicated she would be charged in absentia. Jamie Bartlett, whose BBC podcast brought global attention to Ignatova’s story, believes the increased reward aims to incentivize those still protecting her.
“The FBI are now refocusing their efforts on the people around Dr. Ruja, trying to tempt her close associates to get in touch,” Bartlett explained. “A $100,000 reward wouldn’t persuade a junior crime syndicate member or a personal bodyguard to call the FBI’s hotline – it’s far too risky. But $5 million just might. We will probably know within a few weeks if it’s worked.”
The Ongoing Mystery
As the CEO of the fraudulent cryptocurrency OneCoin, Ruja Ignatova remains the FBI’s most wanted woman. After stealing billions, she vanished without a trace. New evidence sheds light on her possible fate, raising the question: Is she missing, or was she murdered?