The Missing Cryptoqueen, Jamie Bartlett
The Missing Cryptoqueen, Jamie Bartlett
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The Missing Cryptoqueen
The Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Con and the Woman Who Got Away with It

Author: Jamie Bartlett

Narrator: Jamie Bartlett

Unabridged: 8 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/28/2022


Synopsis

175 countries, four billion dollars, one scam: the thrilling rise and fall of the biggest cryptocurrency con in history and the woman behind it all

In 2016, on stage at Wembley Arena in front of thousands of adoring fans, Dr. Ruja Ignatova promised her followers a financial revolution. The future, she said, belonged to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. And the Oxford-educated, self-styled cryptoqueen vowed that she had invented the Bitcoin Killer. OneCoin would not only earn its investors untold fortunes; it would change the world.
 
By March 2017, more than $4 billion had been invested in OneCoin in countries all around the world. But by October 2017, Ruja Ignatova had disappeared, and it slowly became clear that her revolutionary cryptocurrency was not all it seemed. Fortune was left asking, “Is OneCoin the biggest financial fraud in history?”

In The Missing Cryptoqueen, acclaimed tech journalist Jamie Bartlett tells the story he began in his smash hit BBC podcast, entering the murky worlds of little-regulated cryptocurrencies and multilevel marketing schemes. Through a globe-crossing investigation into the criminal underworlds, corrupt governments, and the super-rich, he reveals a very modern tale of intrigue, techno-hype and herd madness that allowed OneCoin to become a million-person pyramid scheme—where, at the top, investors were making millions and, at the bottom, people were putting their livelihoods at risk. It’s the inside story of the smartest and biggest scam of the 21st Century—and the genius behind it, who is still on the run.

About Jamie Bartlett

Jamie Bartlett is the Director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at the think-tank Demos, where he specializes in online social movements and the impact of technology on society. Prior to his work with Demos, he was a research associate at the international humanitarian agency Islamic Relief and conducted field research in Pakistan and Bangladesh. A graduate of the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford, Jamie writes a weekly column on technology for the Telegraph and is a frequent commentator for media outlets throughout the world. He lives in London.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Blair on June 23, 2022

I’ve listened to the podcast in its entirety at least twice, but I was still excited about reading this – even though I assumed it’d essentially be a rewrite of the material I’d already heard. Turns out it is quite different! A much more in-depth look at the Ruja Ignatova/OneCoin story, focusing les......more

Goodreads review by Jillian on September 02, 2024

What do you get when you combine a Ponzi scheme, a pyramid scheme and cryptocurrency? An absolute nightmare. Also, OneCoin. This fascinating journalistic work tells the story of a massive scam, its enigmatic founder and its true believers. The writing is crisp and straightforward, explaining dense an......more

Goodreads review by Kristine on June 30, 2022

Loved the book, also previously enjoyed the podcast! A truly unbelievable true story of a crypto scam, including MLMs, Ponzie schemes and everything in between. And guess what? It’s still operational. Unbelievable. I truly enjoy scam stories like these, from a purely psychological perspective, it’s j......more

Goodreads review by Anete on November 07, 2022

Doktore Rūža Ignatova šķiet nereāla persona, tik iespaidīgi ir viņas sasniegumi šajā vispasaules krāpniecības shēmā. Grāmata ir izklaidējoša un izglītojoša ne tikai par kriptovalūtu pasauli, bet arī par multi līmeņu mārketingu, cilvēku psiholoģiju. Noderīga lasāmviela visiem vieglas naudas kārotajie......more

Goodreads review by Lydia on August 02, 2022

What a great story. Truly a page turner. I couldn't put it down. Brilliantly researched and well written. The book uncovers the story of OneCoin - a fake cryptocurrency / blockchain that scammed people out of $4 billion dollars by promising financial freedom and a technical revolution. The scheme wa......more


Quotes

“A riveting investigation into a shocking enterprise.”—Booklist