Four-Year Imprisonment for OneCoin's Ex-Legal Chief

Irina Dilkinska, the former head of legal and compliance for the infamous OneCoin cryptocurrency scheme, was sentenced to four years in prison by a US District Judge on Wednesday. Dilkinska, a Bulgarian national, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in connection with the multi-billion dollar scam.

OneCoin, launched in 2014, promised investors hefty returns through a supposedly revolutionary cryptocurrency. However, authorities allege that the entire operation was a Ponzi scheme, never possessing a legitimate digital currency. Prosecutors believe Dilkinska played a key role in facilitating the laundering of hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit OneCoin proceeds. In one instance, she is alleged to have transferred a staggering $110 million to a Cayman Island entity.

During the sentencing hearing, Dilkinska's lawyers argued for leniency, citing her role as a single mother to two young children in Bulgaria. They pleaded with the judge to allow her to serve her sentence in her home country. However, Judge Edgardo Ramos rejected this request, stating that Dilkinska, a highly educated legal professional, "ought to have known better" than to participate in such a scheme.

"A woman of great intelligence," remarked Ramos, "had in her hands precisely what she needed to know about what she had involved herself in." He further emphasized her culpability by highlighting her position within OneCoin. "She wasn't a passive participant," he said.

Dilkinska's sentencing marks another significant development in the ongoing saga of OneCoin. The scheme's co-founder, Sebastian Greenwood, was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year for his role in the fraud. OneCoin's founder, Ruja Ignatova, remains at large and is currently listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. Authorities believe Ignatova may be hiding out in Eastern Europe or Russia.

The collapse of OneCoin sent shockwaves through the fledgling cryptocurrency industry, serving as a stark reminder of the potential for fraud within the largely unregulated space. Dilkinska's sentencing is a victory for law enforcement officials working to hold those accountable for the scheme and deter future cryptocurrency-related scams.