Crypto Scams: When Will People Ever Learn?
Alright, let's get this straight. Another crypto scam, another bunch of people getting fleeced. Are we really surprised? I'm not.
The Usual Suspects
So, this Qian Zhimin broad gets 11 years in the UK for a $6.5 BILLION crypto scam. Stole from 120,000 Chinese folks, mostly pensioners, then bounces to a London mansion. You can't make this stuff up. It's like a bad movie plot. But here's the thing: crypto seems custom-built for this crap, right? Get-rich-quick schemes, no government oversight... it's a scammer's paradise. And it’s always the most vulnerable people who get hurt.
Then there's this other Chinese dude charged with a $14 billion fraud out of Cambodia. Seriously? Cambodia? Are they just pulling countries out of a hat now?
And don't even get me started on the “Missing Cryptoqueen” Ruja Ignatova.
The Cryptoqueen's Reign of Error
This Ruja Ignatova story… it’s just wild. She ripped off three million people for billions with her fake cryptocurrency, OneCoin. Vanished in 2017 and no one's seen her since. The FBI still has her on their most wanted list. Ruja Ignatova FBI most wanted...sounds about right.
And now German prosecutors are filing charges against her, even though she's MIA. They just want to keep the investigation alive. Five more years, apparently. But here's the kicker: no trial without her. So what's the point? Just to keep the paperwork moving?
They thought she was dead for a while, maybe killed by a hitman. But nope, the authorities think she's still kicking around somewhere, maybe South Africa. Who knows? It’s like chasing a ghost.
Oh, and her accomplice, Frank Schneider? He’s also vanished. Last seen in 2023. He was supposed to get extradited to the US and face 40 years in the can. Smart move on his part, I guess.
This whole OneCoin thing had Luxembourg connections too. Some ex-spy was involved and some dude was CEO for like, five minutes. It's a tangled web of shady characters. According to Fugitive ‘cryptoqueen’ Ruja Ignatova indicted in Germany, German prosecutors are still pursuing charges against her.
But wait, are we really supposed to believe that law enforcement are competent to track down these grifters? It seems like they are always 10 steps behind.
The Inevitable Conclusion
Look, I ain't saying all crypto is a scam. But let's be real, it's a breeding ground. These stories keep popping up. People keep falling for it. It's like a never-ending cycle. It is worth noting that the X platform (formerly Twitter) is displaying a message that JavaScript is disabled, which seems like a security vulnerability that scammers could exploit.
We need to face facts: for every legitimate crypto project, there are ten scams waiting to pounce. And the sad part is, people never seem to learn. They see the potential for quick riches and throw caution to the wind. It's human nature, I guess. But it's also incredibly frustrating to watch.
So, What's the Real Story?
It's simple: greed trumps common sense every time. These scammers are banking on it, literally. And until people start thinking with their brains instead of their wallets, this will just keep happening. The whole thing just makes me want to bang my head against a wall.