Four-Year Prison Sentence for Irina Dilkinska in OneCoin Fraud Case

In a significant development in the OneCoin fraud investigation, Irina Dilkinska, the former legal and compliance chief of the fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme, has received a four-year prison sentence. The Southern District of New York revealed that U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos handed down the penalty following Dilkinska’s confession to charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy last November.

Dilkinska, a 42-year-old Bulgarian national, was detained in Bulgaria in March 2023 and subsequently extradited to the United States to face justice. Her sentencing marks another major breakthrough in the government’s ongoing effort to dismantle the OneCoin operation and hold all participants accountable.

The Extent of Financial Crime

According to statements from the U.S. Department of Justice, Irina Dilkinska played an active role in the day-to-day operations of OneCoin while simultaneously facilitating a sophisticated money laundering network. Rather than fulfilling her legal responsibility to ensure compliance with regulations, Dilkinska orchestrated the transfer of approximately $110 million in illegally obtained OneCoin funds to an offshore entity based in the Cayman Islands.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams commented on the sentencing, stating: “Irina Dilkinska’s participation in the sprawling OneCoin pyramid scheme represented a serious breach of law. Instead of upholding legal standards and meeting the obligations of her position as a compliance officer, she enabled and supported a money laundering operation that victimized millions. Today’s sentence demonstrates that this office will pursue every individual involved in the OneCoin conspiracy, regardless of their location or efforts to evade accountability.”

In addition to her imprisonment, Dilkinska was ordered to forfeit $111.44 million in assets and complete one month of community supervision and instruction.

The OneCoin Pyramid Scheme

OneCoin was established in 2014 and operated from Sofia, Bulgaria’s capital city. The scheme utilized a global multi-level marketing (MLM) structure to promote and distribute its fraudulent digital currency. Through deceptive marketing practices and false claims about OneCoin’s value and legitimacy, the operation defrauded investors worldwide, with losses exceeding $4 billion.

The scope of OneCoin’s deception extended far beyond Dilkinska’s involvement. Earlier in 2025, Mark Scott, a former partner at the American law firm Locke Lord, received a ten-year prison sentence for his participation in the money laundering conspiracy. Scott was convicted in November 2019 of conspiring to commit money laundering and bank fraud. Judge Ramos also ordered Scott to forfeit approximately $392.94 million, including frozen bank accounts, a luxury yacht, two Porsche vehicles, and four residential properties.

The Search for OneCoin’s Founder

The investigation has not yet successfully apprehended Ruja Ignatova, OneCoin’s founder, who disappeared in October 2017 following intelligence about intensifying law enforcement scrutiny. International authorities have designated Ignatova as one of the world’s most wanted criminals. Interpol issued a red notice, and Ignatova’s name was placed on Europol’s most wanted persons list—though this designation was subsequently removed. The FBI elevated Ignatova to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, announcing the decision during a joint press conference with Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecutors from the Southern District of New York.

The OneCoin case continues to serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of cryptocurrency fraud and the critical importance of legitimate compliance oversight in financial operations.