OneCoin lawyer gets bail pending appeal for conviction and 10-year sentence

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Mark Scott, a lawyer involved with the OneCoin crypto scam now under investigation for fraud and money laundering charges, was allowed bail while he waits for his case to be appealed.

On April 18th, Judge Edgardo Ramos granted bail to attorney Scott in the Southern District of New York’s United States District Court, three months following his 10-year prison sentence. The court records contained redactions concerning Scott’s health problems, which his legal team insisted did not increase his risk of fleeing.

According to the court files, considering Scott’s health issues and the absence of violent charges against him, Judge Ramas believes it’s unlikely that Scott would attempt to escape or endanger anyone’s safety if released on bail.

Based on a filing made on February 7th, there were significant legal issues to be addressed if an appeal was to be pursued. Scott’s lawyers claimed that Konstantin Ignatov, Ruja “Cryptoqueen” Ignatova’s brother and a key figure in the OneCoin scam, had lied under oath. Nevertheless, the prosecution utilized his testimony during their trial.

The judge expressed uncertainty about Scott’s ability to overturn both convictions, but acknowledged that the issues he raised were significant enough to potentially impact all of his convictions. A ruling against Scott on these points could possibly lead to a reversal or new trial for all related offenses.

In November 2019, a jury found Scott guilty of conspiring to commit bank fraud and money laundering during his involvement in laundering large sums of money through OneCoin. His attorney carried out these transactions under the instructions of OneCoin’s co-founder Ruja Ignatova, who was still a fugitive when the verdict was announced.

In September 2023, Karl Sebastian Greenfield, a co-founder of OneCoin, received a 20-year sentence for fraud and money laundering offenses. He was also mandated to repay $300 million to the victims of OneCoin. Previously, in April, Irina Dilkinska, the former chief compliance officer of OneCoin, admitted guilt to two felony charges and received a four-year prison term.

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2024-04-19 00:43