In Pursuit with John Walsh on ID: Where is Konstantin Ignatova now?

The disappearance of the Bulgarian-German entrepreneur, Ruja Ignatova, coincided with the arrest of her brother and private secretary, Konstantin Ignatova. The United States prosecutors had filed an arrest warrant for the brother-sister duo after realizing the illegitimacy of OneCoin in 2017.

While Ruja fled after amassing around $4 billion from investors worldwide, Konstantin pleaded guilty to the charges. He agreed to a plea deal and received 34 months, which he has served already. He is presently a free man who will be under court supervision for the next two years.

The new episode of In Pursuit With John Walsh, titled Crypto Queenpin, chronicles Ruja Ignatova's OneCoin tragedy as it airs on June 19, 2024, at 10 p.m. EST on Investigation Discovery. The official synopsis of the episode reads,

"John takes on accused financial fraudster Ruja Ignatova, whose alleged crypto con landed her on the FBI's top ten most wanted list; Callahan heads to Pennsylvania on the trail of Freddy Calle, accused of s**ually abusing a teenage girl."

---

Did Konstantin Ignatova plead guilty to the charges?

According to BBC News, Konstantin Ignatova pleaded guilty to charges of money laundering and fraud. He was initially charged with multiple financial crimes and had been grilled by United States law enforcement officials. Around the same time, Ruja Ignatova received a tip about the investigation and took off for good.

While Ruja remains missing to this date and is suspected to have been executed by her dangerous ally, Taki, Konstantin was arrested in Los Angeles in March 2019, per the Daily Mail UK. Konstantin Ignatova had been on his way to a OneCoin fundraising event organized in Las Vegas. He was initially looking at 90 years behind bars along with a $2 million repayment in dues.

Per a Bloomberg report, as the de facto leader in his sister's absence, Konstantin (33) accepted a plea deal in which he gave the authorities inside information on OneCoin and its top associate, Mark Scott. The lawyer was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud, as he had managed to launder $400 million out of the United States.

Konstantin pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of money laundering, per the Daily Mail UK. The prosecutors agreed to drop charges against him and offer him and his family witness protection owing to the reported involvement of Taki or Hristoforos Amanatidis in the business. He agreed to repay the $118,000 he had received from OneCoin investors.

The Inner City Press reported,

"Ignatov's truthful cooperation with this Office is likely to reveal activities of individuals who might use violence, force and intimidation against Ignatov, his family, and loved ones."

Konstantin Ignatova faced multiple death threats during his prosecution. While the United States Attorney's Office refused to waive any criminal tax violations, they set Konstantin free after serving 34 months in prison awaiting trial, per Bloomberg. He was declared a free man on March 5, 2024, but will be required to undergo court supervision for the following two years.

Furthermore, BBC News reported that Konstantin Ignatova could reenter the world with a new identity under the witness protection program of the United States government.

---

Catch all the details in the new episode of In Pursuit with John Walsh as it airs on Investigation Discovery on Wednesday.