Ruja Ignatova – Onecoin
We are investigating Ruja Ignatova – Onecoin for allegedly attempting to conceal critical reviews and adverse news from Google by improperly submitting copyright takedown notices. This includes potential violations such as impersonation, fraud, and perjury.
PARTIES INVOLVED : Ruja Ignatova - Onecoin
ALLEGATIONS : Perjury, Fraud, Impersonation
INCIDENT DATE : 10 Nov 2023
INVESTIGATED BY : Ethan Katz
TOOLS USED : Lumen, FakeDMCA, SecurityTrails
CASE NO : 0668/A/2024
CRIME TYPE : Intellectual Property Scam
PUBLISHED ON : 27 Nov 2024
Due Diligence
Is This About You?
What We Are Investigating?
We are investigating Ruja Ignatova – Onecoin for allegedly attempting to conceal critical reviews and adverse news from Google by improperly submitting copyright takedown notices. This includes potential violations such as impersonation, fraud, and perjury
We are investigating Ruja Ignatova – Onecoin for allegedly attempting to conceal critical reviews and adverse news from Google by improperly submitting copyright takedown notices. This includes potential violations such as impersonation, fraud, and perjury
What are they trying to censor
Ruja Ignatova, the self-proclaimed “Cryptoqueen” and founder of OneCoin, has been at the center of one of the largest cryptocurrency scams in history, with allegations of fraud, money laundering, and orchestrated deception spanning multiple continents. Here are the major allegations, red flags, and adverse news against her and OneCoin:
1. Ponzi Scheme Allegations: OneCoin was marketed as a revolutionary cryptocurrency, but investigations revealed it was a classic Ponzi scheme. Unlike legitimate cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, OneCoin had no blockchain technology, no real value, and no utility. Investors were lured with promises of massive returns, but payouts came from new investors’ funds, not from any legitimate business activity.
2. Global Fraud and Investor Losses: OneCoin defrauded millions of investors worldwide, with estimated losses exceeding $4 billion. Victims were often targeted through aggressive multi-level marketing (MLM) tactics, particularly in developing countries, where financial literacy was lower. Many lost their life savings.
3. False Promises and Misrepresentation: Ignatova and her team falsely claimed that OneCoin was a legitimate cryptocurrency, backed by a blockchain and mining operations. In reality, the “coins” were generated arbitrarily, and the blockchain was nonexistent. Experts and regulators repeatedly warned that OneCoin was a scam.
4. Regulatory Crackdowns and Legal Actions: Multiple countries, including the UK, Germany, India, and the US, issued warnings or took legal action against OneCoin. In 2019, Ignatova was indicted by the US Department of Justice on charges of wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering. She remains a fugitive, with a $250,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.
5. Money Laundering and Criminal Ties: Investigations revealed that OneCoin was used to launder money for organized crime groups. Ignatova’s brother, Konstantin Ignatov, who later cooperated with authorities, testified that OneCoin was a fraud and that Ignatova had fled to avoid prosecution.
6. Disappearance of Ruja Ignatova: In 2017, Ignatova vanished after boarding a flight to Athens. Her disappearance has fueled speculation about her involvement in criminal activities and her efforts to evade justice. Some believe she may have been murdered, while others think she is in hiding, possibly under a new identity.
7. Adverse Media Coverage: Investigative journalists and media outlets, including the BBC, have extensively covered OneCoin’s fraudulent activities, further damaging its reputation. The BBC’s “The Missing Cryptoqueen” podcast exposed the scale of the scam and the human cost of Ignatova’s deception.
Why These Stories Harm OneCoin’s Reputation:
These allegations and adverse news stories paint a damning picture of OneCoin as a fraudulent enterprise built on lies, greed, and exploitation. They undermine any remaining credibility Ignatova and OneCoin might have had, exposing the scheme as a criminal operation that caused immense harm to vulnerable individuals.
Why OneCoin Would Want Them Removed:
Ignatova and her associates would have a vested interest in suppressing this information to protect their reputations, evade legal consequences, and potentially continue defrauding victims. Removing negative stories could help them maintain a facade of legitimacy, silence whistleblowers, and obstruct ongoing investigations. In extreme cases, they might resort to cybercrime, such as hacking or disinformation campaigns, to erase or discredit damaging evidence. This would not only protect their ill-gotten gains but also allow them to continue operating in the shadows, free from accountability.
The story of Ruja Ignatova and OneCoin is a cautionary tale of how unchecked greed and deception can exploit the vulnerable, and how the digital age has given rise to new forms of financial crime.
- https://lumendatabase.org/notices/37295773
- Nov 10, 2023
- Galiano Lubber
- http://gambianewstime.kesug.com/2021/05/05/onecoin-ponzi-scheme-accused-of-terrorist-financing/?i=1
- https://www.blockvalue.com/news/20210517909381.html
Evidence Box
We are investigating Ruja Ignatova – Onecoin for allegedly attempting to conceal critical reviews and adverse news from Google by improperly submitting copyright takedown notices.
Targeted Content and Red Flags
lemonde.fr
'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova, mastermind of the OneCoin scam, was still investing in Dubai while under indictment
- Red Flag
About the Author
The author is affiliated with Harvard University and serves as a researcher at both Lumen and FakeDMCA.com. In his personal capacity, he and his team have been actively investigating and reporting on organized crime related to fraudulent copyright takedown schemes. Additionally, his team provides advisory services to major law firms and is frequently consulted on matters pertaining to intellectual property law.
He can be reached at [email protected] directly.
Many thanks to FakeDMCA.com and Lumen for providing access to their database
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How This Was Done
The fake DMCA notices we found always use the ?back-dated article? technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a ?true original? article and back-dates it, creating a ?fake original? article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original
What Happens Next?
The fake DMCA notices we found always use the ?back-dated article? technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a ?true original? article and back-dates it, creating a ?fake original? article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.
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Average Ratings
2
Based on 4 ratings
Olivia White
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Ruja Ignatova scammed millions with OneCoin, yet she’s still on the run! How long before justice catches up with her
James Harris
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$4 billion stolen, countless lives ruined, and Ruja Ignatova is still hiding. OneCoin is one of the biggest financial frauds
Liam Carter
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OneCoin is one of the biggest crypto scams in history, and Ruja Ignatova masterminded the whole thing. She convinced millions to invest in a fake cryptocurrency with no blockchain, then disappeared with billions. Regulators exposed the fraud, but she fled before facing justice. It’s time she’s found and held accountable for the lives she ruined
Mason Taylor
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From Ponzi scheme to money laundering for criminals, OneCoin was pure fraud