Earlier than OneCoin collapsed, Konstantin Ignatov is believed to have labored as private bodyguard for his sister, Ruja Ignatov.
Ruja Ignatov was the general public face of OneCoin, whereas Ignatov lurked within the shadows.
Following Ignatova going into hiding on or round mid 2017, Konstantin was thrust into the highlight.
Awkward on stage and poorly groomed for the function, over the previous two years or so Konstantin has struggled to current himself as a reputable CEO.
Central to Konstantin’s picture downside was the truth that by the point he took over, OneCoin was clearly a Ponzi previous its prime.
Including to that, Konstantin has additionally now been arrested and criminally charged within the US.
Konstantin traveled from Istanbul, Turkey, on February twenty seventh.
We don’t know precisely what Konstantin was as much as within the US, however he’s believed to have been travelling domestically on OneCoin associated enterprise.
On March sixth Konstantin was scheduled to fly again to Bulgaria. As he tried to board his aircraft nevertheless, US authorities arrested Ignatov on the Los Angeles Worldwide Airport.
A sealed grievance filed by the DOJ reveals they have been working with the FBI, who’re believed to have executed Ignatov’s arrest.
As a part of their investigation the DOJ additionally
- labored with overseas authorities by mutual authorized help treaties (MLATs);
- relied on “public info” and ‘participation of different (OneCoin) workforce members in numerous witness interviews‘;
- obtained e-mail proof through subpoenas and judicially licensed search warrants; and
- analyzed “numerous checking account information”.
In response to the DOJ’s grievance, Konstantin is at the moment “the highest chief” of OneCoin.
The DOJ state their investigation into OneCoin ‘has revealed (it) is actually a fraudulent scheme‘.
Throughout its prime (late 2014 to late 2017), the DOJ allege OneCoin solicited €3.3 billion EUR from buyers ($3.7 billion USD).
As per the DOJ’s grievance, listed below are the small print of their investigation pertaining to Konstantin’s numerous roles inside OneCoin.
Konstantin Ignatov is the brother of Ruja Ignatova, OneCoin’s founder, and high chief till her disappearance from public view, in or about October 2017.
Beginning in late 2017, Ignatov assumed high-level positions at OneCoin, rising to the highest management place in mid-2018.
The investigation has revealed that earlier than ascending to OneCoin management in late 2017, Ignatov served as Ruja’s private assistant.
In that function, Ignatov scheduled appointments, made journey preparations, and managed a private calendar for Ruja, amongst different important duties.
Since December 2017, Konstantin Ignatov has functioned as a high-level government, promoter, and spokesperson for the OneCoin group, showing at OneCoin-OneLife occasions worldwide, together with Thailand, Singapore, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bulgaria, France, and Spain.
The investigation has revealed that on this function, Ignatov has made fraudulent representations to buyers about OneCoin’s construction, worth, usability, and future public providing.
Coated in gang tattoos and rumored to have hyperlinks to the Bulgarian mafia, Konstantin (proper) did his finest to current himself as a heat competent chief.
Behind the scenes nevertheless, Konstantin dominated OneCoin with an iron fist.
In response to a BMW auctioned off at a 2018 OneLife occasion in Romania for 3.6 million OneCoin factors, buyers expressed concern over the true worth of OneCoin factors.
In response to those considerations, Ignatov cancelled the public sale and issued a chilling warning;
The latest public sale was poorly deliberate and really very chaotic.
This led to plenty of complaints and the worth and the worth of the coin, due to what was paid, was questioned.
Actually, I’ll let you know one thing.
If I see one thing like this once more I’ll minimize the individual’s head off publicly.
my sister, what occurred when someone tousled what she did.
This might be worse than you ever skilled.
I actually need and can have in future a watch on every thing, and if someone messes up one thing like this, there might be very arduous penalties.
This I promise you.
In a Fb submit made hours earlier than his arrest, Konstantin lamented his journey to the US as “the worst journey within the final years”.
What Konstantin failed to say within the above submit, was that “they” who “stole” his belongings have been actually US legislation enforcement.
Upon arrival at San Francisco Worldwide Airport on February twenty seventh, Customs and Border Safety ‘referred Iganatov to a secondary baggage examination‘.
Throughout his interrogation, Ignatov instructed Customs and Border Safety he was “skilled in combined martial arts” and within the US as a result of he “deliberate to coach” with a good friend in Las Vegas.
As to his employment, Ignatov acknowledged he was “self-employed for the final two years as a public speaker”.
Ignatov didn’t point out OneCoin or OneLife by identify, however acknowledged he gave ‘seminars on monetary occasions and persona improvement‘.
Customs and Border Safety analyzed a laptop computer and cellphone in Ignatov’s possession.
Assessment of Ignatov’s interrogation and proof gleaned from his laptop computer and cellphone, lead authorities to imagine he was hiding
from legislation enforcement brokers the truth that he runs OneCoin, and was visiting Las Vegas, at the least partially, to attend a OneCoin occasion.
A search and seizure warrant was sought on March third and following approval, executed.
Additional overview of Ignatov’s seized property revealed the true nature of his journey.
The journey taken by Konstantin Ignatov to Las Vegas seems to have been a deliberate enterprise journey through which he performed enterprise on behalf of OneCoin.
Within the lead as much as Ignatov’s journey to Las Vegas, Ignatov mentioned the logistics of the upcoming journey with a OneCoin affiliate (OneCoin Affiliate-1).
OneCoin Affiliate-1 wrote to Ignatov,
“in Las Vegas, 14:00 – 18:00h .. at the least 20+ high chosen leaders ([from many]) cities in USA) there for the assembly/DS coaching and like to have you ever with us 30-60 minutes.
Will probably be inside our Bellagio Lodge-Suite or Pen[t]home.
For those who can meet any time between 17:00-20:00h on both 4 or 5 of March, I’ll organize one other group.”
Ignatov responded, “Sure let’s do that!”
Later, in the identical message change, OneCoin Affiliate-1 wrote
“ship you once more the proposed assembly schedule for subsequent 02 days.
Additionally, don’t want point out dr. Ruja.”
Over the next days, social media additionally betrayed Ignatov’s lies to Clients and Border Safety.
On or about March 5, 2019, Ignatov posted a photograph of himself in entrance of an indication that seems to be in Las Vegas on his Instagram web page.
In a touch upon that Instagram submit, Ignatov wrote, “[I] am right here for work causes not vacation,” contradicting statements made to legislation enforcement brokers at SFO.
Between on or about March 1, 2019, and March 3, 2019, three movies have been posted on YouTube that each one look like from a OneCoin promotion/networking occasion that came about in Las Vegas Nevada.
One of many movies is titled “Assembly in Las Vegas with mr. Konstantin.”
The video above options Konstantin assembly with OneCoin Black, Blue and Diamond leaders, in addition to an worker of DealShaker and “a president at DealShaker”.
The acknowledged objective of the assembly was to debate “dealshaker improvement in (the) USA”.
Different movies present Ignatov selling OneCoin on the occasion and posing with associates in attendance.
The remaining is historical past. Ignatov was arrested making an attempt to depart the US on March sixth.
Based mostly on collected proof, to date Ignatov has been charged with one rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.