Dr Ruja Ignatova persuaded millions to join her financial revolution. Then she disappeared. Why? Jamie Bartlett presents a story of greed, deceit and herd madness.
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The Interface is your weekly guide to the tech rewiring your week and our world. Hosted by journalists Thomas Germain, Karen Hao, and Nicky Woolf, each episode unpacks week-by-week the unfolding story of how technology is shaping all of our futures. No guests. No jargon. Just three sharp voices debating the tech stories that matter - whether they shook a government, broke the internet, or quietly tipped the balance of power. In this episode: have the Norwegians proved there is a weapon that caus...
OneCoin victims’ advocate Jen McAdam has helped convince hundreds of Dr Ruja’s scam victims to join her lawsuit. With Dr Ruja missing - possibly dead - it feels like this compensation lawsuit is their best shot at justice. But things take an unexpected turn. Featuring footage from: Good Morning Britain/ITV, The Islam brothers, Daniel Leinhardt/Youtube, TikTok/maseratimassage.
OneCoin victim Jen McAdam lost thousands in the OneCoin scam, and nearly a decade on, it still dominates her life. Jen blames Dr Ruja, but with her still missing - possibly dead - justice looks unlikely. But Jen has a plan, and hundreds of other OneCoin victims join the fightback.
With the FBI offering a $5m reward for Dr Ruja, her fame reaches new heights. And so does our search for her, with new clues pointing us to Cape Town, South Africa. Featuring footage from: Aron Hyman/The Cape of Cocaine podcast, Heart FM, TikTok/Coolstorybru, The Hunt, documentary series: Die Kryptoqueen - ARD/arte/WDR, Novinite Nova.
New clues about Dr Ruja emerge in an unlikely - and dangerous - place. We pick up the trail with Scottish OneCoin investor Jen McAdam. Since we released the podcast, Jen’s become consumed by the search for Dr Ruja. Despite the evidence pointing to her murder, Jen’s not convinced - should we be? Featuring footage from: Aron Hyman/The Cape of Cocaine podcast by TimesLive, BTV, Novinite Nova, News24, Newzroom Afrika, Heart FM, TikTok/Coolstorybru, The Hunt, documentary series: Die Kryptoqueen - ARD...
It’s been eight years since Dr Ruja Ignatova persuaded millions to join her financial revolution, before disappearing. Jamie Bartlett picks up the story of the now FBI-wanted fugitive; following a trail of greed, deceit, and herd madness.
This episode delves into conflicting theories surrounding the disappearance of Dr. Ruja Ignatova, the founder of OneCoin. A new investigation uncovers a shocking murder theory, alleging she was killed by a Bulgarian organized crime figure named Taki for becoming a liability in their money laundering scheme. However, this is challenged by persistent, credible sightings of Ruja long after her alleged demise and the FBI's continued pursuit, including a recent tip from the British Virgin Islands. The episode also features an interview with Richard Reinhardt, the lead IRS investigator, who provides insights into Ruja's sophisticated criminal mind and the exact moment she vanished, leaving the mystery of her fate unresolved.
Operation Satellite reveals how Dr. Ruja Ignatova was consistently one step ahead of a multi-national police investigation, thanks to leaked confidential Europol documents. The episode features an FBI agent discussing Ruja's placement on the most wanted list and her suspected ties to organized crime protecting her. Further revelations come from an interview with her former advisor, Frank Schneider, and newly uncovered personal phone recordings, which paint a complex picture of the missing Cryptoqueen.
The search for Dr Ruja Ignatova gathers pace, five years after she disappeared. Files leaked from Dubai reveal how Dr Ruja stashed millions in the emirate and struck up a relationship with a mysterious sheikh. Then, a careless selfie leads the podcast to a mansion in an exclusive gated community. As the FBI steps up its search, new information surfaces about Dr Ruja’s disappearance from an unlikely source. Presenter: Jamie Bartlett Producers: Rob Byrne and Georgia Catt Series Producer: Georgia C...
The search for Dr Ruja is back on. A lot has happened since Episode 8. Original music and sound design: Phil Channell Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir This audio was updated on 12/08/2020 to reflect additional correspondence with Chelgate.
The episode delves into how Dr. Ruja Ignateva's OneCoin scam infiltrated impoverished Ugandan communities, examining the stories of individuals like Daniel and his mother who sacrificed their life savings, including selling land and livestock, for the promise of quick wealth and banking access. It exposes the ongoing promotion of OneCoin and similar pyramid schemes like DAGCoin by former proponents and even church leaders, highlighting the deep-seated hope and desperation that cryptocurrency hype exploits. The investigation also reveals new, crucial information about Dr. Ruja's whereabouts, suggesting the cryptoqueen may be closer than ever to being found.
Investigating Dr. Ruja Ignatova's disappearance and OneCoin's vanished billions, this episode delves into the 'Moneyland' concept of hidden wealth through shell companies, highlighting the challenges faced by authorities and journalists. It scrutinizes the UK's regulatory bodies for their inaction and reveals how OneCoin promoters capitalize on misleading information. The search shifts to digital footprints, uncovering potential leads in Frankfurt before confronting a promoter and showcasing the devastating impact on vulnerable global victims.
This episode delves into Dr. Ruja Ignatova's early business ventures and legal troubles, starting with her acquisition of a factory in Germany. It reveals her pattern of deception, leading to the factory's collapse and a criminal conviction that shaped her future disappearance strategy. The episode also explores the fraudulent nature of OneCoin's DealShaker platform and culminates in a significant lead from a private investigator about Ruja's current whereabouts, interweaving personal accounts from OneCoin victims.
The episode journeys to Amsterdam to meet Igor Alberts, a former top OneCoin seller, who showcases his opulent life while explaining the mechanics of multi-level marketing and his belief in OneCoin. It exposes how Dr. Ruja weaponized MLM to spread her valueless cryptocurrency, manipulating its price and supply, and explores the devastating impact on victims, including those manipulated through religious compliance claims. The podcast also delves into theories about Dr. Ruja's disappearance and the staggering scale of the €15.8 billion scam, questioning who truly benefited and who is to blame.
Following the trail of the OneCoin scam, journalists infiltrate the "Miss OneLife 2019" beauty pageant in Bucharest, intended to promote the fraudulent cryptocurrency. They confront organizers, navigate suspicious attendees, and witness firsthand how OneCoin uses glamour to obscure its criminal activities. The investigation also reveals how Dr. Ruja Ignatova built fake credibility through deceptive endorsements and explores new leads on her disappearance, highlighting the continued operation and impact of the global pyramid scheme.
Despite the arrest of Dr. Ruja Ignatova's brother, Konstantin, and fraud charges against both, OneCoin surprisingly continues to operate, maintaining a physical headquarters in Sofia and engaging its community with the elusive promise of a future trading exchange. The podcast explores the cult-like devotion surrounding Dr. Ruja, fueled by an "us vs. them" narrative against critics labeled as "haters." Leaked internal documents expose the truly massive global scale of the fraud, with billions of euros invested across every continent, while the team attempts to infiltrate a bizarre OneCoin event.
This episode delves into the OneCoin cryptocurrency, initially promoted as a "Bitcoin killer" offering financial revolution. It uncovers the deceptive nature of OneCoin, which promised blockchain technology but operated on a simple database, allowing its founders to manipulate value. Through the experiences of investors like Jen McAdam and expert Bjorn Björke, the episode exposes the fraud, the personal devastation, and the growing suspicion of organized crime behind Dr. Ruja's disappearance and the multi-billion euro scam.
Dr. Ruja Ignatova, a captivating figure known as the Cryptoqueen, launched OneCoin, a cryptocurrency she claimed would surpass Bitcoin and democratize finance for the unbanked. The episode details her meteoric rise, her powerful charisma in recruiting millions globally through grand events and online webinars, and the immense hope and wealth she promised her followers. However, her sudden disappearance from a major event in 2017, leaving her empire in disarray, kicks off a deep dive into the mystery of what truly happened to Dr. Ruja and OneCoin.
In 2014, a businesswoman called Dr Ruja Ignatova launched a new cryptocurrency that promised to change money forever. OneCoin, she said, was similar to Bitcoin, only bigger, better and easier to use. Within two years, over 3 million people had joined the OneCoin revolution, and Dr Ruja became rich and famous. But then she suddenly disappeared and hasn’t been seen since. For the last six months, writer and journalist Jamie Bartlett has been on the hunt to find The Missing Cryptoqueen. What he unc...
Sep 17, 2019•2 min
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