The hunt for Cryptoqueen Ruja Ignatova, the mastermind behind the notorious OneCoin Ponzi scheme, has just gotten more intense. The US government has increased the reward for information leading to her arrest or conviction to a whopping $5 million. This significant boost has sparked speculation about the validity of rumors surrounding her supposed death in 2018.

Ignatova, also known as Cryptoqueen, co-founded OneCoin in 2014 and swindled investors out of over $4 billion through false promises and representations. She has been on the FBI's Most Wanted List since 2022 and is wanted in the US, Germany, and Bulgaria for fraud and money laundering. Despite her disappearance in 2017, authorities believe she may still be alive and on the run, possibly using a German passport and altering her appearance through cosmetic surgery.

The FBI suspects Ignatova may be hiding in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Russia, or Eastern Europe, surrounded by armed security guards. However, rumors of her murder by a Bulgarian drug lord in 2018 have been circulating, with some sources claiming her body was dumped in the Ionian Sea. The BBC podcast "The Missing Cryptoqueen" has received tips about her whereabouts since 2018, suggesting that reports of her death may be a ruse to throw authorities off her trail.

As the search for Cryptoqueen continues, the US government's increased reward offer may be the key to finally bringing her to justice. The $5 million incentive is a significant increase from the initial $250,000 offered by the FBI, highlighting the gravity of her crimes and the authorities' determination to apprehend her.

In conclusion, the mystery surrounding Cryptoqueen's fate remains unsolved, but the latest development in the case suggests that she may still be alive and evading capture. The US government's substantial reward offer may be the breakthrough needed to uncover her whereabouts and bring her to account for her alleged crimes. Only time will tell if Cryptoqueen will finally face justice or continue to evade the law.