Fact-check findings

The reviewer could not reconcile the claim with the evidence it cited. This is a lead, not a ruling that the claim is false.

1. #10[disputed][awaiting moderator]in the timeline

   “Karl Sebastian Greenwood pleads guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering”

   reviewerKarl Sebastian Greenwood pleaded guilty in December 2022 to wire fraud conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering.The page's timeline date (2022-12-20) appears to be the publish date of the cited Register article rather than the actual date of the guilty plea, which multiple contemporaneous sources (CoinDesk, The Block) place on December 16, 2022.
   Proposed correction (not yet applied)

   2022-12-16
   citedwww.theregister.com/2022/12/20/crypto_po…ofounder_pleads/
2. #13[disputed][awaiting moderator]in the timeline

   “Mark Scott sentenced to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos”

   reviewerMark Scott was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 4, 2023 by Judge Edgardo Ramos.The page's cited source directly contradicts the page's own date field: the sentencing took place January 25, 2024, more than nine months after the date the page lists (2023-04-04). The 10-year sentence and Judge Ramos attribution are both correct; only the date is wrong.
   Proposed correction (not yet applied)

   2024-01-25
   citedtherecord.media/lawyer-gets-10-year-sent…ecoin-scam-funds
3. #21[disputed][awaiting moderator]in the timeline

   “U.S. DOJ announces compensation process for OneCoin victims; $40 million in forfeited assets made available; filing deadline set for June 30, 2026”

   reviewerThe DOJ announced the OneCoin victim compensation process on April 14, 2026.Minor one-day discrepancy: the timeline date (2026-04-14) matches the date of a CoinDesk article covering the announcement rather than the DOJ press release's own dateline of April 13, 2026.
   Proposed correction (not yet applied)

   2026-04-13
   citedwww.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-departmen…-funds-recovered

No source the reviewer could reach confirms or contradicts the claim.

1. #7[unverifiable][awaiting moderator]in section: DOJ Charges and Criminal Prosecutions

   “Ignatova was charged with eight counts including wire fraud and securities fraud.”

   reviewerIgnatova was charged with eight counts including wire fraud and securities fraud.Secondary reporting is split between 'five counts' (per the FBI's own case summary of the 2018 superseding indictment) and 'eight counts' (repeated in some later news summaries, possibly referencing a different or later indictment). The cited DOJ press release could not be directly fetched to resolve this, so the exact count is unverifiable rather than confirmed or disputed.
   citedwww.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-u…tibillion-dollar

The cited evidence supports part of the claim but not all of it.

1. #18[partially supported][awaiting moderator]in the timeline

   “FBI adds Ruja Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list; initial reward set at $100,000 then raised to $250,000”

   reviewerFBI added Ignatova to the Ten Most Wanted list in June 2022 with an initial reward set at $100,000 that was then raised to $250,000.The $100,000 figure at the time of listing is correct, but folding the later $250,000 increase (May 2023) into the same June 2022 dated entry misrepresents the timing of that second event; it reads as if both figures applied in June 2022.
   citedwww.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/new…tive-cryptoqueen

The cited evidence supports the claim as written.

1. #1[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Overview and Structure

   “The scheme was founded in 2014 by Bulgarian-German national Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood.”

   reviewerOneCoin was founded in 2014 by Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood.Multiple independent sources (DOJ, Bloomberg, The Block) corroborate 2014 founding by these two individuals.
   citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoinwww.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-u…tibillion-dollar
2. #2[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

   “OneCoin founded by Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood; scheme launched through sale of 'educational packages' bundled with tokens”

   reviewerOneCoin was founded in August 2014.Month-level precision (August 2014) is corroborated by multiple secondary sources, though the primary Wikipedia text I retrieved only said 'late 2014' without specifying the month.
   citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoin
3. #3[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Overview and Structure

   “Investors were solicited through the sale of 'educational packages' ranging in price from 100 euros to as much as 225,500 euros, which were bundled with tokens that could allegedly be converted into OneCoins.”

   reviewerEducational packages ranged in price from 100 euros to as much as 225,500 euros.Upper bound (225,500 EUR Super Combo) and general lower bound are both independently corroborated.
   citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoincoinmarketcap.com/academy/article/the-on…ponzi-in-history
4. #4[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Overview and Structure

   “Content in these packages was subsequently found to have been largely plagiarized from free sources including Wikipedia.”

   reviewerContent in the educational packages was largely plagiarized from free sources including Wikipedia.Consistent with widely reported findings about OneCoin's 'education' packages.
   citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoin
5. #5[confirmed][no action needed]in section: No Real Blockchain: The Core Fraud

   “Federal prosecutors and independent investigators have established that OneCoin never operated on a real blockchain.”

   reviewerOneCoin ran on a centralized private database with no real blockchain or mining process.Core, well-documented fact of the case; supported across DOJ filings and independent reporting.
   citedwww.proskauer.com/blog/warning-shot-char…securities-fraud
6. #6[confirmed][no action needed]in section: No Real Blockchain: The Core Fraud

   “The Central Bank of Samoa described OneCoin as a very-high-risk pyramid scheme.”

   reviewerThe Central Bank of Samoa described OneCoin as a very-high-risk pyramid scheme.Independently corroborated by contemporaneous Pacific-region reporting (interest.co.nz, ABC Pacific, behindmlm).
   citedamlnetwork.org/watchdog-database/cryptoc…in-fraud-scheme/
7. #8[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

   “Konstantin Ignatov (Ruja's brother) arrested at Los Angeles International Airport; Manhattan U.S. Attorney unseals indictments against OneCoin leadership”

   reviewerKonstantin Ignatov was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on March 6, 2019.Date and location independently confirmed by multiple contemporaneous reports.
   citedwww.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-u…tibillion-dollar
8. #9[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

   “Konstantin Ignatov pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud; becomes cooperating government witness”

   reviewerKonstantin Ignatov pleaded guilty on October 4, 2019, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.Date and charge list match independent reporting.
   citedwww.coindesk.com/markets/2019/11/14/onec…-after-plea-deal
9. #11[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

   “Karl Sebastian Greenwood sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $300 million by U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos in SDNY”

   reviewerKarl Sebastian Greenwood was sentenced in September 2023 to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $300 million by Judge Edgardo Ramos.Date, sentence length, forfeiture amount, and judge are all independently corroborated.
   citedwww.cnbc.com/2023/09/12/cryptoqueen-part…ponzi-fraud.html
10. #12[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

    “Mark Scott convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud for laundering $400 million in OneCoin proceeds through the 'Fenero Funds'”

    reviewerMark Scott was convicted on November 21, 2019 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud for laundering $400 million in OneCoin proceeds through the 'Fenero Funds.'Independently confirmed.
    citedwww.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-part…acy-commit-money
11. #14[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Money Laundering and Asset Recovery

    “Scott made approximately $50 million personally from the laundering operation.”

    reviewerMark Scott made approximately $50 million personally from the laundering operation.Independently corroborated.
    citedwww.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-part…acy-commit-money
12. #15[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

    “Ruja Ignatova boards a Ryanair flight from Sofia, Bulgaria to Athens, Greece and disappears; has not been seen publicly since”

    reviewerRuja Ignatova boarded a Ryanair flight from Sofia to Athens on October 25, 2017 and has not been seen publicly since.Widely and consistently corroborated across DOJ, FBI, and press sources.
    citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruja_Ignatova
13. #16[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Ruja Ignatova: Disappearance and FBI Most Wanted Status

    “In June 2022, the FBI added Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, making her the only woman on the list at that time.”

    reviewerIn June 2022, the FBI added Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, making her the only woman on the list at that time.Confirmed by both FBI and CNN reporting.
    citedwww.cnn.com/2023/01/22/business/ruja-ign…d-cec/index.html
14. #17[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Ruja Ignatova: Disappearance and FBI Most Wanted Status

    “The U.S. Department of State has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to her arrest and/or conviction, increased from an earlier reward of $250,000.”

    reviewerThe reward for Ignatova was increased to $5 million from an earlier reward of $250,000.Confirmed. Note this is consistent with the reward history: $100,000 (June 2022) -> $250,000 (May 2023) -> $5 million (June 2024).
    citedwww.state.gov/reward-for-information-ger…al-ruja-ignatovatherecord.media/ruja-ignatova-onecoin-cr…-5million-reward
15. #19[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Global Victim Impact

    “In August 2024, the London High Court issued worldwide freezing orders on assets belonging to Ignatova and seven associates following a civil claim brought by over 400 investors represented by law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP.”

    reviewerIn August 2024, the London High Court issued worldwide freezing orders on assets belonging to Ignatova and seven associates following a civil claim by over 400 investors represented by Mishcon de Reya LLP.Matches the ICIJ source closely; figures and law firm name confirmed.
    citedwww.icij.org/news/2024/08/a-uk-court-ord…coin-associates/
16. #20[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Global Victim Impact

    “In April 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a compensation process for victims, making approximately $40 million in forfeited assets available for distribution — representing approximately one cent for every dollar allegedly stolen. The deadline for filing petitions is June 30, 2026, administered through onecoinremission.com by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC.”

    reviewerIn April 2026, the DOJ announced a compensation process making approximately $40 million in forfeited assets available, with a filing deadline of June 30, 2026, administered by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC via onecoinremission.com.All figures and details in this sentence are confirmed by the primary DOJ press release; the sentence itself only specifies 'April 2026' at month granularity, which is accurate (the underlying announcement was April 13, 2026).
    citedwww.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-departmen…-funds-recovered
17. #22[confirmed][no action needed]in section: Money Laundering and Asset Recovery

    “Investigations by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) as part of the 'Dubai Unlocked' project revealed that Ignatova and at least 11 associates purchased luxury properties in Dubai worth millions while promoting the scheme.”

    reviewerInvestigations by ICIJ's 'Dubai Unlocked' project revealed that Ignatova and at least 11 associates purchased luxury properties in Dubai.Note the underlying Dubai Unlocked reporting is jointly attributed to OCCRP and its partners (including ICIJ); figure of 11 associates is independently corroborated.
    citedwww.occrp.org/en/project/dubai-unlocked/…er-being-charged
18. #23[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

    “Chinese authorities arrest OneCoin members and seize approximately $30.8 million in assets”

    reviewerChinese authorities arrested several OneCoin members and seized approximately $30.8 million in assets in 2016.Direct match to the cited Wikipedia source's own wording.
    citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoin
19. #24[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

    “Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) issues cease and desist orders against OneCoin”

    reviewerGermany's BaFin issued cease and desist orders against OneCoin in April 2017.Month-level date confirmed; exact day (April 27) is even more specific than the page's month-level entry.
    citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoin
20. #25[confirmed][no action needed]in the timeline

    “Indian police arrest 18 individuals in Navi Mumbai for organizing a OneCoin recruitment event”

    reviewerIndian police arrested 18 individuals in Navi Mumbai in April 2017 for organizing a OneCoin recruitment event.Confirmed at month-level; exact day (April 23) further corroborates.
    citeden.wikipedia.org/wiki/OneCoin