First OneCoin US arrest was in October 2017
Mark Scott’s trial saw FBI Special Agent Shimko take to the stand.
As revealed in Special Agent Shimko’s cross-examination, the first known OneCoin arrest by US authorities was mid September 2017.
Special Agent Shimko was assigned to the FBI’s OneCoin investigation in September 2017.
To date US authorities have not revealed when exactly they began investigating OneCoin.
The same month Special Agent Shimko was assigned to the OneCoin case, Gilbert Armenta was arrested.
Q. Mr. Armenta had been arrested in connection with the OneCoin case in mid-September of 2017, right?
A. Yes, that’s correct.
This is the first known OneCoin related arrest by US authorities I’m aware of.
After his arrest, Armenta folded quick smart and began cooperating with the FBI.
By the end of September 2017 Armenta’s office had been bugged.
FBI and IRS listened in and recorded calls placed to Ruja Ignatova from a nearby parking garage.
Over September and October, US authorities listened in on over twenty calls.
In October 2017, roughly a month after Armenta’s arrest, Ruja Ignatova was indicted. She remains at large.
In his pre-trial testimony, Konstantin Igantov claimed his sister introduced Armenta as an “international money launderer”.
In an attempt to dodge prison time, Mark Scott claimed ignorance and threw Armenta under the bus.
As with Konstantin Ignatov, Armenta’s cooperation with US authorities was likely part of a plea deal.
To date Armenta’s whereabouts and status are unknown. It is unclear if, again as with Konstantin Ignatov, Armenta entered witness protection.
I agree with Semjon, I think K has been moved to another location and is in transit.
I don’t see him walking now without first going before a judge for sentencing; which has not happened.
I saw an InnerCity Press tweet from yesterday mention a “secret sentencing hearing”. No idea where they got it from though.
Spotted this from the summary arguments transcript. Scott’s lawyer is saying that Gilbert Armenta’s bail has been revoked:
These crooks believe that no law or agreement could possibly bind them. Good thing that the Feds have been vigilant.
I don’t know if it’s related to Armenta’s bail revokation, but he has been setting up new companies quite lately, as I discovered in November:
https://behindmlm.com/companies/onecoin/bridle-tightens-on-amer-abdulazizs-phoenix-fund-lies/#comment-417328
Still working my way through the transcripts when I can. Takes me about a day to get through the 150-200+ page documents.
Waiting for the non-OneCoin news to die down so I can get back to it!