Abstract

The Missing Cryptoqueen, produced for BBC Sounds by Jamie Bartlett and Georgia Catt, investigates the cryptocurrency scam fronted by Dr. Ruja Ignatova, self-described “cryptoqueen.” The series benefits from the engrossing complexity of a sprawling conspiracy: The podcasters travel across continents to find both the scammers and their victims, making important stops in the U.K., Germany, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Uganda. The series also benefits from its own breathless narration, which keeps listeners in the present-tense of the storytelling. This was an especially compelling series for the large audience who listened as the weekly episodes were released, as the series integrated new information as the investigation proceeded. Though the podcast does not, in the end, find the missing cryptoqueen, they do uncover the absorbing story of a destructive hoax.

Keywords: podcast, documentary, BBC, cryptocurrency, scam, fraud

How to Cite:

Calhoun, C., (2020) “Mysteries Solved and Unsolved in the Search for The Missing Cryptoqueen”, RadioDoc Review 6(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.14453/rdr.87