Lacking ‘Crypto Queen’ Suspected To Be Murdered Via Drug Lord

Ruja Ignatova disappeared seven years in the past after a warrant from US government used to be issued to arrest her. The self-proclaimed “Crypto Queen” used to be liable for OneCoin’s Ponzi scheme that took $4.5 billion from buyers.

Now, a BBC investigation suspects that the lacking crypto scammer can have been murdered via a Bulgarian drug lord years in the past.

Seven Years Since Crypto Queen’s Disappearance

In 2014, the crypto rip-off corporate OneCoin used to be based via Bulgarian “entrepreneur” Ruja Ignatova. The corporate claimed to be the “Bitcoin Killer” with its cryptocurrency and Blockchain fashion. On the other hand, OneCoin used to be not anything greater than a conventional Ponzi scheme, which stole $4.5 billion from its buyers international.

After its cave in in 2017, government persevered investigating the fraudulent change and charged its executives, together with Ignatova. In October of that 12 months, American government issued an arrest warrant to seize the self-proclaimed Crypto Queen, who vanished to steer clear of the regulation.

Since her disappearance, Ignatova has been believed to be hiding, particularly after being added as the one girl within the FBI’s best 10 maximum sought after checklist. On the other hand, a contemporary BBC document unveiled some annoying knowledge in regards to the whereabouts of the Bulgarian felony.

Amanatidis' Interpol Purple Realize. Supply: BBC

In step with the BBC investigation, Ignatova is suspected via many to were killed via his safety guard, Bulgarian drug lord Hristoforos Nikos Amanatidis. The Crypto Queen’s head of safety allegedly is a big arranged crime determine of their house nation.

Amanatidis, often referred to as Taki, is “an excessively vital, if no longer essentially the most prolific, drug trafficker of all time in Bulgaria.” Taki apparently had shut hyperlinks to OneCoin because of his dating with Ignatova and used to be concerned within the crypto scammer’s disappearance, a US govt legal professional instructed the BBC.

How Is The Bulgarian El Chapo Related To Ignatova?

The drug lord is assumed to be a Bulgarian El Chapo or Pablo Escobar determine of types, consistent with the document, liable for armed theft, drug smuggling, and homicide. Former Bulgarian deputy minister, Ivan Hristanov, believes Taki used to be the one individual ready to lend a hand Ignatova in her felony endeavors and give protection to her from the regulation. Hristanov, who has investigated the drug lord earlier than, said:

Taki is the ghost. You’ll by no means see him. You simplest listen about him. He’s speaking to you via other folks. In the event you don’t pay attention, you simply disappear from earth.

The hyperlinks between Taki and the Crypto Queen pile up. The drug lord is assumed to are living in Dubai, the place Ignatova owns a luxurious penthouse. Her financial institution accounts gained thousands and thousands of greenbacks from the Ponzi scheme. Additionally, the crypto felony paid Taki €100,000 per 30 days for her coverage.

Moreover, the 2 Bulgarian criminals had been a part of a posh deal to promote some land at the nation’s Black Coastline. The paperwork apparently hyperlink considered one of Ignatova’s corporations with Taki’s spouse.

Hiding Or Lifeless, The place Is Ruja Ignatova?

A number of resources consider that Ignatova will have been murdered via her protector. In 2022, Bulgarian journalist Dimitar Stoyanov led an investigation at native information outlet Hen that compiled the suspicion of many excited by Ignatova’s case.

In step with the document, Stoyanov and Hen’s crew used to be passed a police document the place a police informant detailed a dialog he overheard. Within the dialog, Taki’s brother-in-law admits that Ignatova have been murdered at the drug lord’s order on the finish of 2018.

Allegedly, her frame used to be dismembered and thrown off a yacht within the sea. In step with Stoyanov, it’s “very, very imaginable” as more than one felony mates of Taki consider this concept to be true.

The mates’ rationale being that the sought after Ms Ignatova turned into a legal responsibility to Taki, who needed to do away with his hyperlinks to the OneCoin fraud.

Additionally, the journalist claims that since her disappearance, Taki’s mates have begun the use of a number of of Ignatova’s Bulgarian homes.

In the long run, there isn’t sufficient proof to prosecute the drug lord, and there isn’t a frame to end up the homicide, so the Crypto Queen’s whereabouts stay a thriller regardless of the rumors.

General crypto marketplace capitalization is at $2.48 trillion within the biweekly chart. Supply: TOTAL on TradingView

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