Ruja Ignatova
Co-founder of OneCoin, the multi-level-marketing scheme that the U.S. DOJ says took in more than $4 billion. Known as the 'Cryptoqueen', she disappeared in 2017 and is on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.
Also known as: Cryptoqueen, Dr Ruja
Bio
Ruja Ignatova co-founded OneCoin, a Bulgaria-based multi-level-marketing scheme that sold a cryptocurrency the U.S. DOJ says had no actual value. Prosecutors state victims invested more than $4 billion. [1][2]
Status
Often referred to as the "Cryptoqueen", Ignatova disappeared in 2017, was added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list in 2022, and remains a fugitive. She has been charged with fraud and money laundering; she has not been tried. [1][2]
Bracketed numbers refer to the numbered sources listed below.
Linked scams & cases
Sources (2)
See also
- Blockchain Terminal (BCT)TokensA 2017–2018 ICO (BCT tokens, ~$30M) for a 'Blockchain Terminal' — a Bloomberg-style crypto trading terminal. The SEC and DOJ said convicted ex-hedge-funder Boaz Manor secretly ran it under a fake identity ('Shaun MacDonald'), using associate Edith Pardo as a front, and lied about the product's adoption.
- Dropil (DROP)TokensAn ICO for the DROP token built around a fake 'Dex' trading bot. The SEC said it raised ~$1.9M while claiming $54M from 34,000 investors, and that the founders falsified evidence during the probe. Founders Jeremy McAlpine and Zachary Matar pleaded guilty to securities fraud (36 and 30 months).
- CluCoin (CLU)Tokens
This page was last updated on Jun 8, 2026. View revision history.