Ex-OneCoin Compliance Chief Pleads Guilty to $4 Billion Crypto Scam
Summary:
Irinia Dilkinska, the former head of compliance for OneCoin, a cryptocurrency scheme that defrauded investors of $4 billion, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud in Manhattan federal court. Despite her title, Dilkinska was found to aid significantly in the money laundering scheme, including facilitating a $110 million illicitly obtained transfer to the Cayman Islands. She faces a maximum of 10 years in prison with her sentencing set for February 14, 2024. OneCoin, despite being exposed as a fraud in 2015, generated over $4.3 billion in revenue.
The ex-head of compliance for OneCoin – a notorious cryptocurrency scam that swindled investors out of a staggering $4 billion since its inception in 2015 – has officially admitted to charges of money laundering and wire fraud in a federal court located in Manhattan. The Department of Justice (DOJ) released a statement on November 10, revealing that U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos accepted the guilty plea entered by 42-year-old Irinia Dilkinska.
Dilkinska confessed to carrying out a conspiracy to commit money laundering and a conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of her role in the scam. The punishment for each conviction could entail as much as five years of incarceration. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams remarked that Dilkinska, despite being OneCoin's 'Head of Legal and Compliance', engaged in activities that undermined her professional role by facilitating the money laundering of the vast illicit profits that OneCoin accrued through its pyramid scheme.
Despite being positioned as the compliance chief for OneCoin, Dilkinska was found to have played a crucial role in masking the money for the scam. On one occasion, she aided in transferring a significant sum of $110 million, which was obtained fraudulently, to an entity located in the Cayman Islands. Dilkinska's case now moves on to the sentencing stage which is slated for February 14, 2024. She could face a maximum of 10 years in prison for her part in the OneCoin fraud. Dilkinska was charged initially with a count each of conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud by the Department of Justice on March 21.
OneCoin was the brainchild of 'Cryptoqueen' Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood, established in 2014. Greenwood has since received a lengthy prison sentence of 20 years for his involvement in fraud and money laundering. In addition, he has been ordered to pay a restitution of $300 million. Ignatova, however, remains elusive and hasn't been seen since disappearing in October 2017 after taking a flight to Greece. The incident occurred just 15 days after a federal warrant for her arrest was issued.
The fraudulent operations of OneCoin were first brought to light in 2015. Nevertheless, the scheme racked up over $4.3 billion in revenue, registering nearly $3 billion in profits within the span of Q4 2014 to Q4 2016.
Published At
11/10/2023 1:10:25 AM
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