Bulgarian extradited to US to face charges in connection with OneCoin
Bulgarian national Irina Dilkinska has been extradited to the United States to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with the OneCoin fraud scheme, according to statements by the US Justice Department and the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Office.
The face of the OneCoin scheme was a Bulgarian, Ruja Ignatova, whose whereabouts are not know to authorities and whom has been claimed in various media reports to be dead.
Reportedly, more than 3.5 million people worldwide fell victim to the OneCoin scheme, which swallowed up several billions of dollars.
Dilkinska was arrested in Sofia on June 8 2021 after Bulgaria received via diplomatic channels the US request for her extradition. A warrant for her arrest had been issued on September 24 2020 by a judge in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The charges against her are based on allegations that from 2014 to 2019, she willfully and knowingly conspired and devised a scheme to commit fraud and to obtain money and property under false pretenses through the OneCoin scheme.
The money laundering charge is based on the allegation that those involved in the scheme carried out transactions involving money that they knew was the subject of illegal, fraudulent activity, to conceal its origin.
A ruling by the Sofia City Court allowing her extradition was appealed against in the Sofia Court of Appeal, which in February confirmed permission for her to be extradited.
Bulgarian Justice Ministry officials handed over Dilkinska to US officials at Sofia Airport on March 20, the Prosecutor’s Office said.
(Photo: Ilker/sxc.hu)
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