Ruja Ignatova, the fugitive founder behind the One Coin crypto project that fleeced investors of $4 billion is reportedly in Russia

The One Coin founder has been missing since 2017 and repeatedly fled to Russia to avoid extradition and a possible lengthy sentence.

Ruja Ignatova, the fugitive founder behind the One Coin crypto project that defrauded investors of $4 billion, is reportedly in Russia, according to fresh reports.

The One Coin founder has been missing since 2017 and is believed to have fled to Russia several times to avoid extradition and a possible lengthy sentence.

Russia is the latest country to be speculated by the press to be harboring Ignatova, also known as the “Crypto Queen.” Previous reports have placed her in South Africa and Germany.

Ruja Ignatova started “One Coin,” a massive global crypto project, in 2014. The project was later revealed to be a pyramid scheme that defrauded investors of over $4 billion. Ignatova vanished when authorities began searching for her and has remained at large since then.

Various reports following her disappearance have been mere speculations with no concrete evidence to support them. Ignatova boarded a flight to Athens on October 25, 2017, and hasn’t been seen since then.

The One Coin project drew investors from across the globe, including Nigeria and Africa.

According to a Vice documentary, the project employed a skilled team of multi-level marketers who sold the coin as the next bitcoin, promising to revolutionize global finance.

Ruja complemented the multi-level marketing efforts with high-profile appearances, gracing the cover of Forbes Bulgaria and speaking at an event hosted by The Economist magazine.

The bubble burst when the United States Department of Justice filed a sealed arrest warrant for her in early October 2017. She boarded a flight to Athens and vanished.

Frank Schneider, Ignatova’s former security adviser, reportedly claimed that the OneCoin founder had connections to Kremlin officials.

The United States Department has offered a $5 billion reward for any information leading to her capture.