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BBC Sounds


Dr Ruja Ignatova persuaded millions to join her financial revolution. Then she disappeared. Why? Jamie Bartlett presents a story of greed, deceit and herd madness.


The Missing Cryptoqueen

In 2014, a businesswoman called Dr Ruja Ignatova launched a new cryptocurrency that promised to change money forever. OneCoin, she said, was similar to Bitcoin, only bigger, better and easier to use. Within two years, over 3 million people had joined the OneCoin revolution, and Dr Ruja became rich and famous. But then she suddenly disappeared and hasn’t been seen since.

For the last six months, writer and journalist Jamie Bartlett has been on the hunt to find The Missing Cryptoqueen. What he uncovers is a lot more than a missing woman. It's a story of greed, deceit and herd madness that takes him all over the world - and gets far weirder than he thought possible.

New episodes every Thursday morning, starting 19th September.

Introducing... The Missing Cryptoqueen

Dr Ruja promised financial revolution. And then, two years ago, she disappeared. Why?

The Missing Cryptoqueen is an eight-part series for BBC Sounds, with new episodes every Thursday.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Story consultant: Chris Berube
Editor: Philip Sellars
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

1. Dr Ruja

Not all is as it seems with Dr Ruja's revolutionary cryptocurrency, OneCoin.

The Missing Cryptoqueen is an eight-part series for BBC Sounds, with new episodes every Thursday.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Story consultant: Chris Berube 
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

2. The Bitcoin Killer

In Spring this year, something unexpected happened. On March 6th 2019, Dr Ruja's brother Konstantin was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport and charged with money laundering and fraud in connection with OneCoin. Dr Ruja was also charged in absentia, and US authorities declared OneCoin a fraud. We thought this could be the end of OneCoin, and our search. It wasn't. Why?

The Missing Cryptoqueen is an eight-part series for BBC Sounds, with new episodes every Thursday.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Story Consultant: Chris Berube 
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

3. More Than Just a Coin

Jamie and Georgia arrive in Bucharest in the hope of seeing their first OneCoin event: The Miss OneLife 2019 Beauty Pageant. 
Who else could be there?

The Missing Cryptoqueen is an eight-part series for BBC Sounds, with new episodes every Thursday.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir
Written and Researched by Jamie Bartlett and Georgia Catt

4. Miss OneLife

'Who is to blame?'

One of the world's highest-earning Multi-Level-Marketers and former OneCoin top seller agrees to speak. In his mansion on the outskirts of Amsterdam, Jamie learns the secret behind OneCoin's rapid growth and the huge amounts of money that has been made by those at the top.

The Missing Cryptoqueen is an eight-part series for BBC Sounds, with new episodes every Thursday.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir
Written and researched by Jamie Bartlett and Georgia Catt

5. What Dreams May Come

In 2009 Dr Ruja and her father bought a metallurgic factory in Southern Germany. What does this have to do with her disappearance today? Those who knew her at the time tell a strangely familiar story about the impressive businesswoman who came to save their workplace.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt 
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

Episode 6 of 8. Released weekly.

6. The Überflieger

Could Dr Ruja and the missing billions be hidden in plain sight? A number of small leads seem to be pointing to one place.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt 
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

Episode 7 of 8. Released weekly

7. In Plain Sight

The final episode takes an unexpected twist.

Presenter: Jamie Bartlett
Producer: Georgia Catt 
Additional Research: Ignatius Bahizi
Editor: Philip Sellars 
Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

8. The Technology and the Dream

The search for Dr Ruja is back on. A lot has happened since Episode 8.

Original music and sound design: Phil Channell
Original Music and vocals: Dessislava Stefanova and the London Bulgarian Choir

This audio was updated on 12/08/2020 to reflect additional correspondence with Chelgate.

8. The Technology and the Dream

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