June 2025 — In a crazy turn of events that shows the dark side of crypto hype, a Russian woman who called herself a “crypto expert” has been sentenced to prison along with her son for a \$23 million Bitcoin$BTC
scam.
The Scam
The woman, who presented herself as a crypto investor and mentor online, lured victims with promises of huge returns through Bitcoin$BTC #Bitmama 
trading. Along with her son, she ran a Ponzi-style scheme.
They used fake investment platforms, social media hype and fake testimonials to gain trust, and collected over \$23 million worth of Bitcoin from victims around the world.
**The Fall of the Self-Proclaimed ‘Crypto Queen’
Despite presenting herself as a successful entrepreneur, investigators found she had no real trading background. She used funds from new investors to pay off earlier ones — a classic Ponzi.
Luxury cars, designer bags and first class travel were all part of the illusion. Victims were left with nothing when the scheme collapsed.
Justice Served
Russian authorities, along with international cybercrime units, tracked down the pair after dozens of victims came forward. The court sentenced the mother to 7 years and the son to 5 years. Both were also ordered to pay back some of the stolen funds — but most of the crypto is still missing.
A Cautionary Tale for the Crypto Community
This is a big warning: not every influencer or self-proclaimed expert in the crypto world is legit. As crypto adoption grows, so do the number of scams exploiting the technology’s anonymity and hype.
Authorities are urging investors to do their research, avoid “guaranteed returns” and be skeptical of social media success stories.
The Bottom Line
The so called “Crypto Queen” may have fooled many, but her downfall is a reminder that in the Wild West of crypto, due diligence isn’t just smart — it’s necessary.