INTERPOL Red Notice — Case Status: Wanted
A Red Notice issued by INTERPOL in May 2022. Wanted in Germany for serious fraud and money laundering. Indicted in the USA for multiple financial crimes. Authorities: INTERPOL, FBI, US DOJ. Whereabouts unknown since 25 October 2017. Authorities warn that the subject may have had plastic surgery or otherwise altered her appearance.
Also known as
Ruja P Ignatova · Ruja Plamenova Ignatova · Dr. Ruja Ignatova · Ruja Ignatova Dabek · Ruža Plamenova Ignatova · Ruzha Plamenova Ignatova · Ruzha Plamenova Ignatova · Ruzha Ignatova · Ruja Ignatowa · Ruzha Ignatowa · Ruzcha Ignatowa · Ruzsa Ignatova · Ruba Ignatova · Ruba Ignatorová · Ruja Ignatorva · Ruja Ignatova · IGNATOVA, Ruja · IGNATOV, Ruja
Script aliases
Ружа Пламенова Игнатова (Russian)Ружа Игнатова (Russian)Ружа Игнатова (Ukrainian)روجا إجناتوفا (Arabic)روجا ایگناتووا (Arabic)روجا ایگناتووا (Persian)روژا ایگناتووا (Arabic)鲁贾·伊格纳托娃 (Chinese)루자 이그나토바 (Korean)ルジャ・イグナトヴァ (Japanese)Ρούζα Ιγνάτοβα (Greek)რუჟა პლამენოვა იგნატოვა (Georgian)רוג’ה איגנטובה (Hebrew)রুজা ইগনাভতা (Bengali)রুজা ইগনাভতা (Bengali)
Nickname
CryptoQueen – Cryptoqueen
Weak aliases
ルジャ・イグナトバ · ルジャ・イグナトフワ · ダベク · इग्नातोव्हा
Date of birth
30 May 1980
Place of birth
Ruse (Russe), Bulgaria
Citizenship
🇧🇬 Bulgaria (BG) 🇩🇪 Germany (DE)
Nationality
Bulgaria · Germany
Education
University of Konstanz – Dr. iur. (Jurist)
Languages
English · German · Bulgarian
Position
Chief Executive Officer, OneCoin Ltd. (2014-2017)
Company
OneCoin Ltd. – Gusswerk Walzhofen
Address
Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany · Sofia, Bulgaria · Russian Federation
Physical description
Eye colour: Brown · Hair colour: Dark Brown to Black
Risk categories
SIP Warnings & Regulatory Enforcement
Case details
Case type
Fraud and Money Laundering
Authority
INTERPOL – FBI – USDOJ
INTERPOL notice
Red Notice issued May 2022 – Programme: INTERPOL-RN
Description
Wanted in Germany for serious fraud and money laundering. Indicted in the USA for multiple financial crimes including wire fraud and money laundering. The individual has been sentenced for fraud. Whereabouts unknown since 25 October 2017.
Safety warning
The subject is believed to travel with armed guards and/or associates. She may have had plastic surgery or otherwise altered her appearance.
Risk notes
OneCoin fraud — $4 billion scheme
Ruja Ignatova is wanted for her alleged participation in a large-scale fraud scheme. Beginning approximately in 2014, Ignatova and others are alleged to have defrauded billions of dollars from investors all over the world. She was the founder of OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed a purported cryptocurrency. She allegedly made false statements and representations to solicit investments in OneCoin, instructing victims to transmit investment funds to OneCoin accounts. Throughout the scheme, OneCoin is believed to have defrauded victims out of more than $4 billion. She is also charged with wire fraud and money laundering.
German enforcement authority notice
The Staatsanwaltschaft Bielefeld (Bielefeld Public Prosecutor’s Office) and Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW State Criminal Police) are seeking public assistance. Dr. Ruja Ignatova is suspected, as the driving force and intellectual inventor of the purported cryptocurrency “OneCoin”, of inducing investors worldwide to invest in what is actually a worthless currency. The fraud damage established in Germany to date runs into the upper two-digit million range; the globally caused damage is likely to amount to several billion US dollars. She has been missing since 25 October 2017 and has not appeared publicly in any context since. She has global supporters and contacts and is believed to have considerable financial resources.
Original German enforcement notice
Original German text:
Gegen Betrug. Zeit: seit 2014. Die Staatsanwaltschaft Bielefeld und das Landeskriminalamt Nordrhein-Westfalen bitten um Ihre Mithilfe! Die promovierte Juristin Dr. Ruja IGNATOVA steht im Verdacht, als treibende Kraft und geistige Erfinderin der vermeintlichen Kryptowährung “OneCoin” weltweit Investoren veranlasst zu haben, in diese tatsächlich wertlose “Währung” zu investieren. Der Gesuchte ist seit 25. Oktober 2017 unbekannten Aufenthalts. Für die Polizei ist die Beantwortung folgender Fragen von Bedeutung: Wer is ld. Die Gesuchte umfahnungsbegleitpers.onen könnten bewaffnet sein! Die Aufenthalts der Gesuchten im Ausland, auch bei potenziellen Unterstützern, ist wahrscheinlich.
Identification documents
Germany — Passport Number
C4TTF922F18
Database coverage
AML Watcher databases in which this entity has been identified.
Warnings & Regulatory Enforcement
✓ Listed
Fitness & Probity
Not listed
Data source
The Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) is the federal criminal police office of Germany, responsible for national and international criminal investigations and law enforcement coordination.
Official sourceGermanyLaw enforcement
Data source contributing to the AML Watcher Internal Database for cryptocurrency-related compliance coverage, including entities appearing in criminal or regulatory contexts related to digital assets.
Crypto IntelligenceGlobal
The AML Watcher Internal Database is a comprehensive repository of data focused on Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance which meets quality standards. This database includes any entity that should receive enhanced AML screening — either because they appear on a sanctions list, watchlist, in a criminal context, or as a political office holder.
AML WatcherProprietaryGlobal
Alert!
