Berlin, Germany – US authorities have increased the reward to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Ruja Ignatova, widely known as the Missing Cryptoqueen. Ignatova, a Bulgarian-born German woman, is wanted by the FBI for allegedly masterminding a $4.5 billion cryptocurrency scam called OneCoin. She has been missing since 2017, when US officials issued an arrest warrant against her.
In a recent BBC podcast and documentary, it was revealed that Ignatova has ties to the Bulgarian underworld and a suspected mafia boss connected to her disappearance. Despite these revelations, authorities are still actively pursuing her. Ignatova was added to the FBI’s top 10 most wanted list in 2022, with the reward initially set at $100,000 but later increased to $250,000.
On Wednesday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller announced that the reward for information on Ignatova’s whereabouts has been raised to $5 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Reward Program. Ignatova is the only woman currently targeted under this program, with equivalent rewards offered for other high-profile criminals like the head of a European drug cartel and Russia-based crime bosses.
German authorities have already filed charges against Ignatova, while Bulgarian officials plan to charge her in absentia. Jamie Bartlett, whose podcast shed light on Ignatova’s story, believes that the increased reward is aimed at encouraging those who may still be protecting her to come forward. The FBI is focusing efforts on individuals close to Ignatova in hopes of obtaining more information about her whereabouts.
The ongoing search for Ignatova has taken a new twist with rumors of her possible murder surfacing. Sightings of Ignatova continue to be reported, raising questions about her current status. As investigators intensify their efforts, the mystery surrounding the Missing Cryptoqueen deepens, leaving many wondering about the truth behind her disappearance.