The Missing Cryptoqueen

The Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Con and the Woman Who Got Away with It

By: Jamie Bartlett

Narrated by: Jamie Bartlett

175 countries, four billion dollars, one scam: the thrilling rise and fall of the biggest cryptocurrency con in history and the woman behind it all

In 2016, on stage at Wembley Arena in front of thousands of adoring fans, Dr. Ruja Ignatova promised her followers a financial revolution. The future, she said, belonged to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. And the Oxford-educated, self-styled cryptoqueen vowed that she had invented the Bitcoin Killer. OneCoin would not only earn its investors untold fortunes; it would change the world.

By March 2017, more than $4 billion had been invested in OneCoin in countries all around the world. But by October 2017, Ruja Ignatova had disappeared, and it slowly became clear that her revolutionary cryptocurrency was not all it seemed. Fortune was left asking, “Is OneCoin the biggest financial fraud in history?”

In The Missing Cryptoqueen, acclaimed tech journalist Jamie Bartlett tells the story he began in his smash hit BBC podcast, entering the murky worlds of little-regulated cryptocurrencies and multilevel marketing schemes. Through a globe-crossing investigation into the criminal underworlds, corrupt governments, and the super-rich, he reveals a very modern tale of intrigue, techno-hype and herd madness that allowed OneCoin to become a million-person pyramid scheme—where, at the top, investors were making millions and, at the bottom, people were putting their livelihoods at risk. It’s the inside story of the smartest and biggest scam of the 21st century—and the genius behind it, who is still on the run.

©2022 Jamie Bartlett (P)2022 Hachette Books

Critic reviews

“A riveting investigation into a shocking enterprise.”—Booklist

Follow. The. Money.

As a financial crimes investigator in the private sector, I found this to be a great depiction of the crypto queen. Excellent story!! Not to mention the perfect timing of the bureau adding her to the top ten. I’d say Jaime’s work played a role somewhere along the way…

WAS THIS THE PLAN FROM THE BEGINNING?

Fascinating story of Ruja Ignatova, the “Cypto Queen”. I would like to hear more about how they did what they did and especially why they did it? Specifically, was it their plan for this to be a scam from the beginning or did things just get out of hand at some point. The story is not done so perhaps we will get a sequel at some point. Terribly sad and tragic for the millions of people who were ripped off. The author Jamie Barlett did a great job piecing this story together and then turning the BBC podcast into a full length book.

Excellent glimpse into money madness gone awry

Story to be continued when they finally catch her if they do — if not she got away with the heist of the century — wonder whether living the balance of life undercover would be worth it

Wonderful and intriguing story

We just finished listening to this book and it was very well done.

The author does a fantastic job taking you through a wonderful journey of a global Ponzi scheme. There are a few loose ends as expected.

Absolutely enjoyed it and would highly recommended.

Amazing but could use some better editing

I listened to the BBC podcast first so the book provided the additional background and details I longed to know. The quality of the investigative journalism is excellent.

However, there are moments where the writing lacks the sophistication one might expect. The technical descriptions of bitcoin and the OneCoin business model are done well but other areas of the book lack some expected polish. I believe another reviewer said the book needed better editing and I agree with that assessment.

Compelling Story; Well Read by Autor

A focused and compelling listen. Author blends fact-finding and storytelling well into a straightforward, exciting, and enjoyable narrative. Book is well-read by the author. Easy to listen to and understand, even if you're not educated in technical areas discussed. Highly recommended.

Incredible

Must read! Great narration. It’s better than watching a movie! Highly recommend as it’s quite informative.