Lawyer in Hot Water Over Suspicious Crypto Case

A solicitor at a respected London law firm is facing disciplinary action for potential misuse of legal threats on behalf of a controversial cryptocurrency company and its missing founder.

The Case Against Claire Gill

Claire Gill, a solicitor at Carter-Ruck, is accused by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) of making an improper legal threat in 2017. Gill denies these allegations, but the case is proceeding.

Gill previously worked for OneCoin and its founder, Ruja Ignatova, also known as the "Cryptoqueen". Ignatova is wanted by the FBI and has been missing since 2017.

Legal Battles and Withdrawn Requests

Initially, Gill attempted to keep OneCoin and Ignatova's names out of the proceedings. However, she withdrew this request after a ruling stated that Carter-Ruck was likely assisting OneCoin and Ignatova with fraudulent activities. This ruling means legal privilege does not apply, and their names can be used in the case.

Carter-Ruck's Defense

Carter-Ruck maintains that Gill and her team were unaware of OneCoin's fraudulent nature. They assert that they acted in good faith and adhered to their professional duties. The case is scheduled to be heard in December.

The Ongoing Search for Ruja Ignatova

Meanwhile, Ignatova remains at large. She is accused of orchestrating a $4 billion Ponzi scheme and has not been seen since 2017.

Implications for UK Lawyers

This case is significant for UK legal professionals as it is one of the first involving an alleged SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation), where lawsuits are used to silence criticism. A similar case recently resulted in a substantial fine for another lawyer. This case will be closely watched by the legal community.