Irina Dilkinska, a 42-year-old Bulgarian national, the “head of legal and compliance” for OneCoin, pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in what the government says was a $4 billion global multilevel-marketing scheme.
OneCoin, started in Bulgaria, marketed and sold cryptocurrency. Prosecutors say it was a pyramid scheme. The government also says that OneCoin laundered money including transfers of $110 million to a Cayman Island corporation.
Prosecutors also filed charges against OneCoin’s founders Ruja Ignatova, who is known colloquially as “the Cryptoqueen.” She has fled and remains at large. According to reports, she was last seen traveling from Bulgaria to Athens in October 201. The U.S. has issued a federal warrant for her arrest following the charges. The Federal Bureau of Investigation added her to its top 10 most wanted list in 2022 and is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to her arrest.
In September, federal judge in New York sentenced Karl Sebastian Greenwood the co-founder of the purported cryptocurrency OneCoin to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for what prosecutors called a $4 billion fraud.
Jeffrey Newman is a whistleblower lawyer who can be reached at Jeff@Jeffnewmanlaw.com or 617-823-3217
