Court Orders Global Freeze on Assets Linked to OneCoin’s ‘Cryptoqueen’

London’s High Court has issued a global freeze on assets tied to individuals involved in the OneCoin scam, including Ruja Ignatova, known as the ‘Cryptoqueen’.

The court order affects Ignatova, OneCoin co-founder Sebastian Greenwood, and associates Christopher Hamilton and Robert MacDonald, according to Decrypt. These individuals are accused of laundering money for the fraudulent scheme.

The freeze also impacts assets of four influencers who promoted OneCoin and several business entities allegedly used by Ignatova to launder and acquire assets. OneCoin, launched in 2014, falsely claimed to be a “Bitcoin killer” but was exposed as a Ponzi scheme with no actual cryptocurrency network.

Ignatova, who defrauded investors of around $4 billion before disappearing in 2017, was last seen fleeing Bulgaria for Athens. She remains on the FBI’s most-wanted list. Although she has been out of sight, a 2023 UK property listing revealed her involvement when she was forced to be identified as the property’s owner due to new regulations.

A recent BBC report suggests that the property listing might be linked to German prosecutors rather than UK officials. The U.S. Department of State is offering up to $5 million for information leading to Ignatova’s arrest. She is believed to travel with security and may have altered her appearance.