The Missing Cryptoqueen: Dead or Alive? - BBC World Service Documentaries
1,278,685
Published 2024-06-02
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
Dubbed the “Missing Cryptoqueen”, Ruja Ignatova is on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list after defrauding investors of $4.5 billion and then vanishing. Now, #BBCEye and #BBCPanorama investigate her close ties to a suspected Bulgarian organised crime boss and allegations that she was brutally assassinated.
This #BBCWorldService documentary has exclusive access to the US special agent in charge of tracking Ignatova down and follows a brave Bulgarian journalist who’s faced grave threats trying to get to the truth.
Did the missing Cryptoqueen run with the money, or was she fatally targeted by the very people that were supposed to protect her?
00:00 The story so far
02:20 The Cryptoqueen
06:00 Financial revolution?
09:05 The Hunter
12:36 The Spy
14:00 Are they onto me?
19:05 Ruja vanishes
22:51 Murky finances
24:10 Extortion
28:28 Organised crime
32:25 Meet Dimitar
37:46 Most Wanted Woman
41:30 Vanished or victim?
43:30 Secret document
47:00 Cape Town horror
🎞️ To watch more investigative journalism from our award-winning BBC Eye team check out this documentary playlist: • All BBC World Service Documentaries
🎧 Listen to the latest episode of "The Missing Cryptoqueen" podcast here 👉🏽 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j1pdvd
Credits:
Head of Longform - Liz Gibbons
BBC Eye Editor - Marc Perkins
Executive Producer - Michael Simkin
Produced and Directed by Storm Theunissen
Narrated by Caroline Catz
Film Editor - Nick Follows
Shooting Producer - Max Hudson
Directors of Photography - Graham Smith, Will Francome, Jon Stapleton,
Additional Camera - Namak Khoshnaw, Oana Marocico, Kevin McGregor
Assistant Camera - Katie Green
Producer - Yordan Tsalov
Impact Producers - Vicky Baker, Tom Donkin, Emma Jacobs, Anusha Kumar, Paul Organe, Emaan Warraich
Technical Producers - David Smith, Regan Wharton
Post Production Producer - Anna Norqvist
Production Executive - Nayantara Gauba
Production Manager - Jessica Butler
Production Management Assistant - Catia Da Costa
Dubbing Mixer - Andy Sears
Colourist - Michael Sanders
Online Editor - Ben Salkeld
Researchers - Harry Atteshlis, Tetiana Martyniuk
Translators - Boryana Desheva, Krassimira Twigg
Archive Researcher - Kate Rea
Archive - Alamy, BBC Archive, BNT, Chd.lu, eNCA, Fox Archives, Gallo Images, Getty Images, Pond5, Slavi Angelov, Shutterstock
With thanks to Atanas Tchobanov
----------------
This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, you can also find us here:
Instagram 👉🏽 www.instagram.com/bbcworldservice
Twitter 👉🏽 twitter.com/bbcworldservice
Facebook 👉🏽 facebook.com/bbcworldservice
BBC World Service website 👉🏽 www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
#WorldService #Cryptocurrency #OneCoin #Bulgaria #Bitcoin #CryptoNews #Crypto
All Comments (21)
-
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM 🎧 Listen to the latest episode of "The Missing Cryptoqueen" podcast here👉🏽 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j1pdvd
-
As a Bulgarian, I find it mindblowing anyone would believe this woman and invest their money in her crypto... From the way she talks to the way she looks how can anyone think this is anything but a scam 🤔
-
She was terminated. She was a liability and a huge risk for the Bulgarian mafia. They used her and terminated her when she fulfilled her purpose.
-
This is what the BBC should be doing. Serious in-depth investigation.
-
Why not mention a single word about her brother Konstantin Ignatov who took over once she disappeared.. he did 3 years of jail in US and is chilling right now.
-
Her CV failed to disclose her previous criminal conviction in Germany. I used to go under their promotional videos on YouTube, advising people to look at the history of the top leaders and then decide what you are dealing with. Eventually i received a cease and desist warning stating Dr Ruja may be taking legal action against me. To which i responded looking forward to facing up to exposing this in my defence in court.
-
Offering $100k for someone who stole Billions ... make it make sense
-
His BBC, please do a series on mysterious disappearances and deaths of Boeing executives and contractors
-
I am from Bulgaria and I am sure she is in Bulgaria. Live or dead she is here. btw, You never talked about Ruja brother which was released from the States and now he is in Bulgaria.
-
If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
-
From the way she talks, I can not believe people saying she is always the smartest person in the room
-
There is only two things here. Either she is really dead dead or they want the world to believe that ruja is dead to stop chasing her
-
How come anyone forging their own coins or printing their own paper money will go to prison, and yet people can just make up digital money from thin air and they're hailed and celebrated for it?
-
I wouldn't be surprised this Cryptoqueen's story will be made into a movie one day.
-
My favourite part about mafia lifestyle, is when they can't have fun with what they stole, they are forced to go into hiding, become paranoic, start snitching & deleting each other 😂😂😂
-
The most amazing part of the story is that the ONE COIN still exists and function. But in far more small scale.
-
Certainly. Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) are popular for long-term investments due to their diversified nature. ETFs offer exposure to a wide range of assets, such as stocks, bonds, or commodities, which can help reduce risk. Some top choices for long-term investing include broad market index ETFs, sector-specific ETFs, and bond ETFs, as they provide potential for growth and income over an extended period while minimizing the risk associated with individual stocks.
-
-
How silly of her. Who needs anything more than a comfortable home with basic appliance and a reliable car. All the extra stuff doesn't really improve your life for one to steal and betray for.
-
If anybody ever finds her unfortunately it's probably more than likely going to be her body. She didn't just disappear
