FBI warns OneCoin victims: file claims by June 30 to tap $40M recovery fund
Victims of the notorious OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud have just days to submit petitions for partial compensation before a June 30 deadline, the FBI warned. The agency says the claims process is open to people who purchased OneCoin between 2014 and 2019 and sustained a net financial loss.
What’s available and who’s eligible
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is administering a remission program financed with more than $40 million in forfeited assets recovered from figures tied to OneCoin. The fund is intended to provide partial relief after accounting for any withdrawals investors already made.
- Eligible claimants are individuals who bought OneCoin during the 2014–2019 window and can show they suffered direct financial losses.
How to file
- The official claims portal is onecoinremission.com, managed by Kroll Settlement Administration. The DOJ and Kroll are handling submissions online, by mail or by email.
- Filing is free. The FBI cautioned that submitting a petition does not guarantee payment.
- The only authorized websites for this process are justice.gov and onecoinremission.com — a reminder intended to protect victims from fake “recovery” agents who often prey on fraud survivors.
Why this matters
FBI New York Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. said victims were misled by “false statements and empty promises,” and reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to “returning these stolen funds to their rightful owners.” The DOJ first announced a roughly $40 million compensation fund in April.
Case background — one of the largest crypto frauds
- OneCoin started in Bulgaria in 2014 and was marketed by founders Ruja Ignatova and Karl Sebastian Greenwood as a new digital currency that could rival Bitcoin, even billed as a “Bitcoin killer.”
- Prosecutors say the project operated as a multi-level marketing scheme: buyers purchased packages that purportedly gave them tokens to “mine” OneCoin and were encouraged to recruit others.
- Authorities say the product had no underlying value and victims worldwide lost more than $4 billion.
Where the principals stand
- Karl Sebastian Greenwood was arrested in Thailand in 2018, extradited to the U.S., and in September 2023 was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $300 million.
- Ruja Ignatova remains at large. She led OneCoin until October 2017, was charged in the Southern District of New York, and was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list in June 2022. The U.S. Department of State is offering up to $5 million for information leading to her arrest or conviction.
What victims should do now
- If you believe you qualify, submit a petition through onecoinremission.com (or follow DOJ guidance at justice.gov) before the June 30 deadline. After that date, late claims may not be considered.
- If you suspect other crypto investment fraud, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Anyone with information about Ignatova can contact the FBI’s tip line or submit a tip online.
The deadline is imminent — affected investors should act now to preserve their chance at recovery.
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