John Buza, representing Irinia Dilkinska, the former "head of legal and compliance" at OneCoin, has submitted a sentencing memorandum to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, urging leniency for his client's involvement in the cryptocurrency scheme. Dilkinska pleaded guilty in November 2023 to conspiracy charges related to wire fraud and money laundering, stemming from her role in the fraudulent activities of OneCoin.
Buza argued that a prison sentence for Dilkinska would be unnecessary and cited mitigating factors such as her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and the unique circumstances surrounding her involvement in the scheme. Despite admitting to laundering money for OneCoin's co-founders Karl Sebastian Greenwood and Ruja Ignatova, commonly known as the "Crypto Queen," Buza emphasized Dilkinska's remorse and cooperative behavior.
OneCoin, established in 2014, was exposed in 2015 as a fraudulent cryptocurrency venture that swindled investors out of billions of dollars. Greenwood was sentenced to 20 years in prison in September 2023 and ordered to pay $300 million in restitution, while Ignatova remains at large. Dilkinska faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mark Scott, a lawyer associated with OneCoin, received a 10-year prison sentence in January for his involvement in the scheme. Buza presented letters from Dilkinska's acquaintances attesting to her character and highlighted her positive conduct during her time in prison. He stressed the potential injustice of imposing a sentence beyond incarceration, considering her familial responsibilities.
In a separate case related to OneCoin, Konstantin Ignatov, brother of Ruja Ignatova, received a 34-month prison sentence in March, followed by probation. Ignatov had pleaded guilty in 2019 to charges of money laundering and fraud. These legal developments underscore the ongoing repercussions and efforts to address the fallout from OneCoin's fraudulent activities.
