Investigators believe as much as \u00a34bn was raised globally in what is said to have amounted to a Ponzi scheme.<\/p>\n
The Bulgaria-based organisation behind OneCoin Ltd continues to operate and denies all wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
Ignatov was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in March.<\/p>\n
He signed a plea deal document on 4 October – but it was made public, on 12 November, only after being obtained by Inner City Press journalist\u00a0Matthew Russell Lee<\/a>.<\/p>\n By complying with the terms of the plea deal, Ignatov will not face further criminal charges for his role in OneCoin, other than any criminal tax violations that may emerge.<\/p>\n The document says Ignatov’s cooperation with the authorities may “reveal activities of individuals who might use violence” against him or his family.<\/p>\n It suggests he could apply to the US witness protection scheme and be assigned a new identity.<\/p>\n He has not yet been sentenced but faces up to 90 years in prison for his role in the fraud.<\/p>\n Ignatov has also been testifying in the trial of a US lawyer accused of laundering some of the proceeds from OneCoin.<\/p>\n Mark Scott is accused of routing approximately $400m (\u00a3310m) out of the US while trying to conceal the true ownership and source of the funds.<\/p>\n He faces one charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering and another to commit bank fraud. He has pleaded not guilty.<\/p>\n During that trial, Ignatov has revealed more details about the disappearance of his sister Dr Ruja Ignatova.<\/p>\n According to his testimony, Dr Ignatova was living in Sofia, Bulgaria before she vanished, the\u00a0Inner City Press<\/a>\u00a0reports.<\/p>\n He confirmed that Dr Ignatova had told him critics of OneCoin were “haters”, and that she was “very tired”.<\/p>\n She was afraid somebody close to her was going to give her up to the the FBI, he said.<\/p>\n He claims she told him she had got hold of a “big passport” and asked him to get her plane tickets to Vienna, Austria and then Athens, Greece.<\/p>\n Ignatov said he had not spoken to his sister since she had disappeared. He had hired a private investigator to find her but had been unsuccessful.<\/p>\n The US government has said it expects Mr Scott’s trial to conclude next week.<\/p>\n Ignatov’s plea deal will come as a great relief to OneCoin’s critics.<\/p>\n Those who were threatened with legal action for calling OneCoin a scam will now feel vindicated.<\/p>\n Even though I have spent so long investigating this case, I was surprised to see the brother turn so dramatically against his sister.<\/p>\n Ignatov seems to be implying even he was duped by her.<\/p>\n There is nothing definitive about her whereabouts yet – but there are certainly some new leads to follow.<\/p>\n The case will slow down the continuing promotion of OneCoin – but it might not stop it entirely.<\/p>\n In the past, OneCoin promoters have dismissed all criticism and evidence as being politically motivated or coming from “haters”. They may do that again.<\/p>\n I believe the head office in Sofia remains open for business and I have already seen some supporters say they will continue to promote.<\/p>\n For lower-level investors this might be a difficult time – as they will have to admit they have been duped and their money is gone.<\/p>\n That won’t be easy.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/8134\/production\/_109667033_667031.jpg\")
<\/span>Disappearance clues<\/h2>\n
Analysis<\/h2>\n
By Jamie Bartlett, The Missing Cryptoqueen presenter<\/h2>\n
![\"Podcast](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/3562\/production\/_109666631_ruja-1.png\")
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