OneCoin legal chief pleads guilty to money laundering and wire fraud: DOJ

OneCoin's head of legal and compliance pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges on Thursday after prosecutors said she participated in a scheme that caused investors to lose billions. 

Irina Dilkinska, 42 of Bulgaria, could face up to 10 years in prison for her participation in what prosecutors are calling a crypto pyramid scheme, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. 

"As OneCoin's so-called 'Head of Legal and Compliance' Irina Dilkinska accomplished the exact opposite goal of her position," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. "As she has now admitted, Dilkinska facilitated the laundering of millions of dollars of illicit profits OneCoin accrued through its multi-level-marketing scheme. The dedicated prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue this important case until every defendant is brought to justice."

Dilkinska's guilty plea comes a few months after OneCoin founder Karl Sebastian Greenwood, 46, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after prosecutors accused him of cheating 3.5 million investors and using the money for five-star resorts, a private plane and a yacht. Greenwood had previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. 

Dilkinska's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 14, 2024. 

Most wanted

Greenwood co-founded OneCoin in 2014 with the so-called Crypto Queen-turned-fugitive Ruja Ignatova. Ignatova faces similar charges to Greenwood, but has not been seen since 2017 when she took a flight to Greece. She was added to the FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted List in June 2022, the attorney's office said previously.

On Thursday, prosecutors asked people to reach out with information about Ignatova's whereabouts. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to her arrest.