Is Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova alive and hiding in South Africa? (report)

One of the most popular people in the crypto world (and for good reason), Ruja Ignatova, also known as the “Cryptoqueen”, is the founder of the OneCoin fraud scheme, which embezzled more than $4 billion from victims .

Ignatova is considered the mastermind of the scam, but her whereabouts remain unknown since she was last seen in Greece in 2017. Many conspiracy theories suggest she may be dead or hiding on a luxury yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. The latest research suggested he may have found refuge in Cape Town, South Africa.

The search continues

Ignatova is wanted by several law enforcement agencies for her leading role in the crypto scam called OneCoin. For example, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has placed him on the list of ten most wanted fugitives and is offering a reward of up to 5 million dollars for information leading to his arrest .

Despite the scant details surrounding the “Cryptoqueen” since her disappearance, recent reports indicated that she may be hiding in the affluent suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, Constantia.

It is worth mentioning that his brother, Konstantin Ignatov, spent some time in the city before his arrest in 2019. He was arrested in Los Angeles and pleaded guilty to several charges for his leadership role in OneCoin.

Ignatov was released in March this year after cooperating with US prosecutors and accepting the forfeiture of $118,000 in ill-gotten gains. Earlier this year, he regretted participating in OneCoin calling it “the biggest mistake of his life.” However, he did not share any information about his sister’s possible hiding place.

OneCoin was a fraudulent crypto scheme that operated between 2014 and 2017. It was promoted as a superior cryptocurrency, comparable to Bitcoin (BTC), with promises of high returns on investments. The project was famous for hosting extravagant and lavish parties as part of its promotional activities. The meetings were designed to attract new members and persuade existing investors to recruit others to the program.

As a result, the scam defrauded more than 3.5 million people, pocketing more than $4 billion. The hoax attracted significant attention worldwide, leading to the development of several film projects to expose the intricacies of the scheme. For example, the movie “Fake!” will feature Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, who will play Jen McAdam, a real-life OneCoin victim who parted with roughly $300,000.

Lying at the bottom of the sea?

It’s worth noting that law enforcement may never find Ignatova if the theory that she was brutally murdered in 2018 turns out to be true.

According to some Bulgarian media, the “Cryptoqueen” may have been killed on behalf of local drug dealer Hristoforos Amanatidis (“Taki”). Sources go even further, stating that the hitman could have cut up her body and thrown her remains into the Ionian Sea.

“Taki” is allegedly a leader of an organized crime group and a major drug lord in Eastern Europe. He is believed to be running his criminal enterprises remotely due to problems with some of Bulgaria’s political parties years ago. Some reports suggest that he may have orchestrated Ruja Ignatova’s murder due to his ties to OneCoin.

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