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Victims and perpetrators

OneCoin spread so far and so fast because of its multi-level-marketing structure. But how high up the pyramid do you need to go before you’re no longer a victim?

OneCoin spread so far and so fast because of its multi-level-marketing structure. But how high up the pyramid do you need to go before you’re no longer a victim? How long do you keep selling, before you’re simply a scammer? Jamie looks at the blurred line between victim and perpetrator in pyramid selling.

The Missing Cryptoqueen follows the story of Dr Ruja Ignatova, the founder of OneCoin, a cryptocurrency that promised to change money forever. Within two years, the company claimed to have over 3.5 million members, and hundreds of thousands of investors, with offices opening in major cities and events taking place around the world. But rumours started about the currency’s legitimacy, with critics questioning the foundations of the scheme.

In 2017, Dr Ruja disappeared. She hasn’t been seen since. Now, technology researcher and author Jamie Bartlett and producer Georgia Catt are on the hunt to find out why people invested so much in OneCoin, why so many people still believe in the scheme, and what happened to founder Dr Ruja Ignatova.

On a journey that takes them to the Bulgarian Riviera, a beauty pageant, victims in the UK, rural Uganda, Southern Germany, and a cryptocurrency luxury cruise, can they find the Missing Cryptoqueen?

18 minutes

Last on

Sun 12 Jan 2020 22:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 11 Jan 2020 18:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Jan 2020 02:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Jan 2020 22:32GMT

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