Good information! Since OneCoin is back on the news and “The Missing Cryptoqueen” already launched an eleventh episode, proving that they’re again for actual, we’re going to double down on our efforts. Starting right this moment, we’ll summarize two episodes per week to meet up with the brand new developments in Dr. Ruja’s case. We hit the nail on the pinnacle on this one, and there’s nothing left to do however let the roulette roll and see the place the OneCoin story takes us.
In this episode, we study that OneCoin’s inside slogan was “the greatest company ever” and Jamie Bartlett travels to Sofia, Bulgaria, to take a look at Dr. Ruja’s properties. This episode is freed from mafia insinuations, it offers with the cultic points of OneCoin’s entrepreneurial tradition as an alternative. We’re additionally in a position to put a quantity on how large of a rip-off OneCoin actually was. SPOILER ALERT: It was at the least €4B large.
Remember, you possibly can obtain episodes directly from the BBC, or take heed to “The Missing Cryptoqueen” by Apple, Spotify, or iVoox.
About OneCoin And “The Missing Cryptoqueen’s” Episode Three
The most fun factor about “The Missing Cryptoqueen” is the sense of immediacy it conveys. It’s a residing and respiration podcast. The story was taking place throughout Jamie Bartlett and the crew. The OneCoin individuals react to “The Missing Cryptoqueen’s” creation and, by social media, assault the creators with all the pieces they’ve. And the entire scene is a part of the podcast. And that is simply episode three. In the top, they even ask for the viewers to name and tip them about Dr. Ruja’s whereabouts.
This episode begins with Konstantin Ignatov, Dr. Ruja’s youthful brother, private assistant, and inheritor to the OneCoin crown. He was arrested by the FBI and charged with cash laundering and fraud. The authorities had already declared OneCoin a fraud, even. Surprisingly, when Bartlett and the crew go to the OneCoin headquarters, they notice that the corporate continues to be “open for business.” People are nonetheless shopping for OneCoin even supposing one among their leaders is on the run and the opposite was arrested.
That leads us to the cult-like points of the operation. A religion-like perception justifies the disappearance of the leaders as a conspiracy to cease OneCoin. In the quote beneath, you’ll really feel the silence whereas studying the outline of the group’s workplaces. You’ll really feel the Dr. Ruja worship. It’s only one step away from faith and really close to a cult. Jamie Bartlett describes OneCoin as “less a cryptocurrency and more like a belief system.” An skilled in that discipline corroborates the speculation.
BTC value chart for 10/20/2022 on Bitstamp | Source: BTC/USD on TradingView.com
The Devastation That They Caused
At one level we, as soon as once more, take heed to Dr. Ruja’s personal voice saying the crypto scammers’ slogan. “In two years, no one will talk about bitcoin.” If you ever hear that, run. In the second episode, we discovered that OneCoin referred to as the critics “haters.” In this one, we study that the traders and workers are instructed to steer clear of them Scientology-style. Another shocking truth is that the second time period OneCoin makes use of probably the most to explain its critics is “bitcoiner.” Those pesky bitcoiners, all the time inflicting hassle.
We study concerning the scale of the devastation that Dr. Ruja brought on by listening to concerning the OneCoin Victims Support Group. The victims are damaged, they’ve misplaced all the pieces after which some. We additionally study concerning the scale of the rip-off by means of a report/ database that producer Georgia Catt obtained her fingers on. From all around the world, the group was getting €60M per week. From August 2014 to March 2017, OneCoin’s income was over €4B. Over €100M had been from the UK alone. And that’s the place the report stops, the group was nonetheless making a living left and proper.
Quotes From “The Missing Cryptoqueen ’s” Episode Three – “More Than Just A Coin”
An nameless witness describing the OneCoin workplaces:
“At its peak, it was about 50 individuals working within the Sofia workplace. Ruja’s workplace is on the 4th flooring. You by no means noticed her with out the gypsy earrings, the robes, the jewellery, all the pieces. Even when she’s simply working within the workplace. Inside the Sofia workplace, the crypto middle is the place members of the OneLife community are allowed to satisfy members of the Sofia workers who’re necessary. If you might be out of favor, they gained’t allow you to in, or they’ll hold you sitting there the entire day, ready.
It’s arrange nearly like a cathedral. You don’t communicate out loud, you whisper to one another. It’s all set in darkish tones, all the pieces is gilded. There was an enormous cardboard cutout of Ruja. You see individuals touching it and doing that silly OneCoin signal prefer it’s an icon. It’s gone now as a result of it will definitely fell aside as a result of too many individuals had been touching it. Dr. Ruja! Dr. Ruja! The greatest insult which you could give OneLife is to say: “that’s not Dr. Ruja’s vision.”
Bitcoin-enthusiast Timothy Curry, describing the cult of persona behind Dr. Ruja:
“There were many cultish things that the company did. The repetitive indoctrination. If you look at the top leaders, the way they dress, the way that they showed things off. Ceremonial things, almost like, especially on stage. Everything, from the musical introductions to Ruja, to the theatrics, they really did create a worship behind her.”
OneCoin Material And Episode Credits
Six years in the past, whereas OneCoin conquered the world, NewsBTC quoted the infamous Roger Ver talking on the case. Then referred to as a “bitcoin evangelist,” the controversial determine denounced OneCoin for what it’s:
“In a current interview, the proprietor of Bitcoin.com says he believes OneCoin is a fraud, and that traders ought to all the time be cautious of recent cash and browse up earlier than they put their cash in issues they don’t perceive:
“There is never a cryptocurrency without a wallet. This sounds like more evidence of its fraudulent nature. OneCoin isn’t traded on a single exchange anywhere in the world as far as I know.”
OneCoin has been round for over two years, however questions surrounding its authenticity proceed to plague the Internet.”
Say what you’ll about Roger Ver, however the man was proper on the cash on this one.
And lastly, the episode’s credit:
Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Story guide: Chris Berube
Editor: Philip Sellars
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir
Previous Companion Guides For BBC’s “The Missing Cryptoqueen” Podcast:
Featured Image: The Missing Cryptoqueen podcast brand from the BBC | Charts by TradingView
