Pre-trial Transcript Reveals Irina Dilkinska's Arrest Fears

A newly unsealed pre-trial transcript from Mark Scott's October 28th hearing exposes how an attorney turned money launderer funneled $200 million through investment funds while his handlers at law firm Locke Lord provided cover for OneCoin's crypto fraud.

Scott told federal agents he couldn't remember who Irina Dilkinska was—despite regular text exchanges with the woman who transferred a quarter billion dollars into his accounts. The lie came apart when investigators produced evidence of their constant SMS communication.

Before Scott abandoned his law license for OneCoin's money laundering operation, he worked at Locke Lord, a sprawling international firm with over 600 lawyers. Court records show that Ruja Ignatova, OneCoin's fugitive co-founder, was more than just Scott's client. She was also a client of the entire firm.

Scott himself introduced Ignatova to Locke Lord's London office. Once inside, the firm didn't simply process her paperwork. According to the transcript, Locke Lord helped Ignatova manage a substantial OneCoin real estate empire. A lawyer named Peter Courtneidge, identified as a cryptocurrency expert and payments specialist, analyzed data related to Ignatova's digital currency operations. The analysis gave Scott, in his own words, "some comfort."

The work expanded rapidly. After Scott left the firm, Locke Lord continued taking on projects for Ignatova and OneCoin beyond the initial introduction. The transcript provides no specifics, but indicates Gilbert Armenta served as the entry point who connected Ignatova to the firm.

One name appears inconsistently in the documents. Scott's attorney refers to the Locke Lord expert as both "Peter Courtneidge" and "Robert Courtneidge" in the same transcript. No public record ties either name to the firm's roster of attorneys.

The turning point came in January 2017. U.S. authorities gave what they described as a "private law enforcement to law enforcement" presentation—likely to Bulgarian, German, or British officials. During that briefing, American investigators identified Ruja Ignatova, Sebastian Greenwood, and others as OneCoin conspirators.

Scott's name never came up.

That omission triggered alarm inside the OneCoin inner circle. Frank Schneider, frantically trying to recover laundered money that had flowed through Phoenix Funds, learned about the presentation and reached a chilling conclusion: Mark Scott might be a high-placed U.S. informant embedded inside the conspiracy.

Schneider immediately warned Irina Dilkinska and Konstantin Ignatov to "be very, very careful." The suspicion—later proven prescient—that Scott was cooperating with federal authorities prompted OneCoin's leadership to tighten their circle and limit what information they shared with him.

🤖 Quick Answer

Who is Irina Dilkinska in the OneCoin scandal?
Irina Dilkinska is identified as a key financial intermediary in the OneCoin fraud scheme. According to pre-trial transcripts, she transferred approximately $250 million into accounts controlled by Mark Scott, an attorney-turned-money launderer who facilitated the cryptocurrency scam's financial operations through investment funds and legal firm networks.

What did Mark Scott allegedly conceal during his federal interrogation?
Scott claimed to federal agents he could not recall Irina Dilkinska's identity, despite maintaining regular text message communications documenting substantial financial transfers. Investigators contradicted his statement by presenting evidence of consistent SMS exchanges between Scott and Dilkinska, exposing his deliberate false testimony regarding their professional relationship.

What role did Locke Lord law firm play in OneCoin's operations?
Locke Lord, a

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