The Missing Cryptoqueen

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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.

BBC Radio


    • Aug 6, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 32m AVG DURATION
    • 12 EPISODES


    Latest episodes from The Missing Cryptoqueen

    Episode 9: Follow the money

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 45:47


    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.

    A message for listeners

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 1:35


    Coming soon...

    Episode 8: The technology and the dream

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2019 60:19


    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

    Episode 7: In Plain Sight

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2019 43:36


    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

    A message from the airport

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2019 1:30


    Episode 7 will be available on Monday 28 October. We can't say too much, except this...

    Episode 6: The Überflieger

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2019 39:00


    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.

    Episode 5: What dreams may come

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2019 61:28


    '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

    Episode 4: Miss OneLife

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2019 38:04


    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

    Episode 3: More than just a coin

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2019 40:08


    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

    Episode 2: The Bitcoin Killer

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2019 35:29


    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

    Episode 1: Dr Ruja

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2019 22:53


    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

    Introducing The Missing Cryptoqueen

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2019 2:27


    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.

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