HotNews No. 140 : Onecoin SCAM UPDATE english

Ruja Ignjatova, known as the “Cryptoqueen” and founder of OneCoin, disappeared in October 2017, after an investigation was launched against her for one of the largest financial frauds in modern history.

Only now, in September 2025, the public has been informed that charges have been filed at the Bielefeld court. Prosecutor Carsten Nowak openly stated that the purpose of the indictment is to prevent the statute of limitations on criminal prosecution from expiring.

Significance of the statute of limitations
If the court accepts the indictment, the statute of limitations will be extended by an additional five years. This leaves the possibility that Ignjatova, if found, could still be brought to justice.

However, the fact that German authorities are only now taking this step raises the question – why was there such a long delay, given that Ignjatova is a German citizen and the law enforcement authorities could have acted even before her disappearance?

Status of investigation and asset seizures
As part of the investigation, the police of North Rhine-Westphalia seized assets worth around €28 million.

In addition, in 2021, an investigation was opened against her former husband Björn Strehl, also a German citizen. In May 2023, he was charged with money laundering, but no further information on that case is available.

Risks and outlook

• The lack of concrete evidence regarding Ignjatova’s whereabouts remains the biggest issue – she has not been seen since 2017.

• Relying on legal maneuvers related to statute of limitations deadlines gives the impression that the indictment was filed out of procedural necessity rather than a genuine intent to enforce justice effectively.

• For defrauded investors, this prolongs uncertainty – there is still no clear answer as to when or if it will be possible to recover the invested funds.

Conclusion
The indictment against Ruja Ignjatova in Germany is an important but controversial step. While it formally prevents the statute of limitations from expiring, the question remains – will she ever be found and brought to court?

For now, the only tangible result of the investigation remains the seizure of €28 million, while millions of victims worldwide continue to wait to see if justice will be served.