back to article Feds put $5M bounty on 'CryptoQueen' Ruja Ignatova

Uncle Sam has put a $5 million bounty on any information leading to the arrest or conviction of self-titled "CryptoQueen" Ruja Ignatova, who is wanted in the US for apparently bilking victims out of more than $4 billion in what the Feds describe as the "one of the largest global fraud schemes in history." In 2014, Ignatova and …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Can anyone supply (No reward)

    information on the totally stupid twats that could not see a "ponzi" scene if it wrapped itself round a brick and twatted them in the gob, so that I can invite them to invest in my totally not fake cryptocurrency, guaranteed to give 4000% returns in 14 hours. It will take over the world and kill all other currencies. It's called "phuqwytcoyn"

    Thank you in advance. I love you all, well, at least I love your money... Ishy

    1. Philo T Farnsworth Silver badge

      Re: Can anyone supply (No reward)

      I highly recommend listening to the BBC podcast linked the article before passing judgment on the "totally stupid tw*ts" who got taken. The scheme played upon the desperation that spun out of the 2008 financial crisis (where, as you might recall, banks got bailed out and everyone else got wrecked).

      The scheme (I use the more pejorative American sense of the word) was a classic "affinity fraud," hatched out of the hustle and bustle of the early Bitcoin rush, when Bitcoin went from nothing to hundreds, if not thousands, of illusory dollars in the space of a couple of years, and who wanted to miss out on the Next Big Thing, especially when hustled by a charismatic figure like Dr Ruja, as she came to be known. She wouldn't lie to them. Cult leaders never do.

      OneCoin was billed as a way out of financial insecurity and desperate people often do desperate, irrational things. To call them stupid is condescending at best.

      OneCoin built a belief system, not much different in structure from most cults, with a lot of "la-la-la-I-can't-hear-you" denial of any inconvenient fact. Just try getting into an argument with a Flat Earth believer some time. Or a member of any religion. The fact that their beliefs contradict the observable laws of the universe is completely irrelevant to them. It puts them in the "in group" that "knows" the true facts and everyone else is either deluded or a "hater."

      I won't name names but look around and you'll likely see parallels everywhere.

    2. techcafe

      Re: Can anyone supply (No reward)

      greed is a hell of a drug, and often supplants common sense and good judgement.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Can anyone supply (No reward)

        Greed is the reason that Communism and Socialism can never work. No-one wants to share their hard work for free, which I believe is the normal stance for 99.9% of people on this planet.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is she related to

    Olga Ivgotalyordosh?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Pint

      Re: Is she related to

      @A/c

      "Olga Ivgotalyordosh"

      Utter brilliance and I am totally, shamelessly STEALING IT!

      Have a few of these >>>>>>>>>>

      P.S. She knew where the bodies are, so she is dead I think??

  3. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

    "Ignatova remains at large"

    Speculation has long been that at this point it might be her remains that are at large, given the people she screwed over...

    1. ACZ

      Re: "Ignatova remains at large"

      The BBC podcast series on her (linked in the article) is great - do have a listen

      1. Irongut Silver badge

        Re: "Ignatova remains at large"

        I was just about to say that. Very good investigative journalism from the BBC team.

    2. Alan Brown Silver badge

      Re: "Ignatova remains at large"

      Speculation on that is one thing and supposed sightings of her after the date she was allegedly bumped off are another

      I suspect this willl go unsolved for decades

      1. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge

        Re: "Ignatova remains at large"

        Absolutely, and speculation on its own isn't worth a whole lot

  4. Khaptain Silver badge

    Bilking ?

    Is Bilking a new word for saying "milking bitcoin" ?

    1. Irongut Silver badge

      Re: Bilking ?

      Bilking is the present participle of bilk. Obviously.

      An American word I believe. I've no idea wtf it means.

      Probably something to do with oppressing the masses while telling them they're free.

      1. Philo T Farnsworth Silver badge

        Re: Bilking ?

        Its origins are somewhat obscure, according to at least one etymological dictionary but it emerged in the 1630s as a cribbage term, of all things, meaning "to spoil (someone's) score." The country of origin is not given. It does appear to be most commonly used in the US though one source gives a usage from the UK as to "steal fuel from a self-service filling station" by driving off.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Bilking ?

          @Philo

          We also used it in the 70's as a shortened way of saying "banged their lights out"

          And

          "banged the arse off",whoever was on the receiving end!!!

          Cheers... Ishy

          I hasten to add I was born and lived in South Shields at the time. And proud of it!!!

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The mythical power of 3 letter agencies

    If they cannot track such a big fish, what could be said about small ones? Add long judiciary process to it, and the power evaporates to non-existence.

    1. A. Coatsworth Silver badge
      Pirate

      Re: The mythical power of 3 letter agencies

      If rumours are true, they will need to trail the digestive tracts of big fish in order to find her.

      I doubt even the TLAs have that capacity

  6. tekHedd

    Hiding...

    So... it's still possible to get illicit plastic surgery and disappear? That seems like it would be difficult in modern times, especially for someone with this class of enemy...

  7. Claverhouse
    Unhappy

    Overreach

    What's she got to do with the Yanks ?

    1. Jimmy2Cows Silver badge

      Re: Overreach

      Probably some US morons "invested" in her "product". And if there's one thing the US really hates, it's misleading their investors. "Damaging investor confidence" seems to be one of the worst things you can do. But that's capitalism for you.

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