A Lawyer Involved in OneCoin Crypto Fraud Saga Denied Retrial
In the ongoing OneCoin crypto fraud case, a lawyer named Mark Scott has been denied a retrial by a New York Judge. Despite claims of witness perjury in his previous trial, Scott risks facing up to 50 years in prison. Scott, a former equity partner at Locke Lord LLP, was convicted in 2019 for laundering millions of dollars associated with Ruja Ignatova, one of the founders of the infamous OneCoin Ponzi Scheme.
Challenging False Evidence
Following his conviction, Scott filed a motion challenging the evidence presented during his trial. He claimed that witness statements by Konstantin Ignatov (Ruja’s brother) and an unnamed former executive of OneCoin were false. However, the United States District Judge Edgardo Ramos stated that Scott failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his claims.
The judge also rejected Scott’s defense that the prosecution failed to prove his involvement with OneCoin. The court ruled that it was not necessary to establish the defendant’s familiarity with all the conspiracy’s details, but rather his awareness of the general nature and extent of the scheme.
Recent Developments in the OneCoin Case
This ruling against Scott comes shortly after OneCoin co-founder Sebastian Greenwood received a 20-year prison sentence for wire fraud and money laundering charges. Greenwood pleaded guilty in December 2022 and was deemed the master distributor of the fraudulent cryptocurrency.
In addition, Irina Dilkinska, OneCoin’s former head of compliance, has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering counts after being extradited from Bulgaria on March 21.
Hot Take: Another Blow to OneCoin Fraudsters
The denial of Mark Scott’s retrial request represents another blow to those involved in the OneCoin crypto fraud saga. With witness perjury claims dismissed, Scott now faces a potential sentence of up to 50 years in prison. This decision by the New York Judge emphasizes the seriousness of money laundering and wire fraud associated with schemes like OneCoin. As more individuals connected to OneCoin are being convicted and charged, it serves as a reminder that fraudulent activities within the crypto industry will be prosecuted.