The Legal Office Manager of OneCoin Crypto Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to Prison
Dear Crypto Reader, the legal office manager of the notorious OneCoin crypto Ponzi scheme has been sentenced to four years in prison by the US Department of Justice. This decision marks a significant development in the case that has defrauded many people for billions of dollars.
The Scandal of OneCoin: A Crypto Ponzi Scheme
- OneCoin emerged in 2014, amidst the collapse of Mt. Gox and the impending launch of Ethereum, presenting itself as a cryptocurrency.
- In essence, OneCoin operated through a centralized system controlled entirely by its founders instead of a genuine cryptocurrency.
- Founded in Bulgaria by Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood, OneCoin attracted attention in 2015 when the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission issued a warning about the project.
- By 2016, public scrutiny labeled OneCoin as a scam due to its opaque centralized system and promises of profits through investments.
- Despite warnings, it took until 2019 for Ruja Ignatova’s brother, Konstantin Ignatov, to be arrested, allowing OneCoin to scam thousands for over $4 billion.
- Ruja Ignatova, also known as the CryptoQueen, has remained elusive since 2017.
The Conviction of OneCoin’s Legal Office Manager
- In March, OneCoin’s legal office manager, Irina Dilkinska, was apprehended in Bulgaria and extradited to the USA.
- After a brief trial, she received a four-year prison sentence from Judge Edgardo Ramos in the Southern District of New York for her involvement in the OneCoin fraud.
- The Department of Justice statement detailed how OneCoin exploited a global multi-level marketing (MLM) network to promote its fraudulent cryptocurrency.
- Dilkinska pleaded guilty to charges of criminal association related to telematic fraud and money laundering after her arrest.
- Konstantin Ignatov and co-founder Karl Sebastian Greenwood also admitted guilt in separate instances.
- Interestingly, Ignatov received a shorter sentence than Dilkinska, while Greenwood was sentenced to a longer prison term.
The Comment on OneCoin’s Scheme
The prosecutor Damian Williams condemned Dilkinska’s involvement in the OneCoin pyramid scheme, emphasizing the exploitation of millions of victims through money laundering.
“Irina Dilkinska’s involvement in the vast OneCoin pyramid scheme was a blatant violation of conduct. Instead of upholding the law and embracing her position as head of the legal and compliance office, she facilitated and engaged in money laundering, enabling the exploitation of millions of victims. As Dilkinska has learned today, this Office will hold accountable every perpetrator of the OneCoin scheme, no matter where they may hide.”
Speculations surrounding Ruja Ignatova’s fate persist, with some suggesting foul play as the reason for her disappearance.
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