In a recent legal battle, Lidia S. Kolesnikova, whose spouse was convicted for involvement in the extensive OneCoin fraud scheme, is fighting to retain ownership of several luxury handbags, among other assets. Her husband, Mark Scott, was found guilty of laundering $400 million linked to the fraudulent operation and subsequently sentenced to ten years in prison.
Despite acknowledging her spouse’s criminal activities, Kolesnikova is contesting a court order requiring Scott to forfeit nearly $393 million, along with multiple bank accounts, assets such as a yacht, luxury vehicles, and real estate properties. Central to her defense is the insistence that she has the right to her family’s primary residence and shared bank account funds.
Kolesnikova specifically asserts ownership of five Hermes handbags, which she claims pre-date Scott’s indictment in 2018. These luxury items listed in her claim include two black Birkin bags, an orange Birkin bag, a black purse, and a brown/tan purse. The government has acknowledged their inability to trace the purchase of these handbags to any criminal proceeds, adding her argument for their return.
Additionally, Kolesnikova is seeking the return of her engagement ring that was also seized, under the premise that it was bought with funds connected to her husband’s alleged illicit activities.
Mark Scott’s legal woes stem from his association with OneCoin, a cryptocurrency marketing scheme launched in 2014, which operated via a global multi-level marketing strategy. This operation, which began in the U.S. around 2015, is recognized among the largest fraud schemes in history, amassing over $4 billion from approximately 3.5 million victims during its peak.
Scott, during his time at a well-known law firm, became acquainted with OneCoin’s co-founder, and subsequently devised fictitious investment funds in the British Virgin Islands. These funds were ostensibly made to seem legitimate by masquerading the influx of funds as investments from wealthy European families, whereas they actually represented proceeds from the fraudulent activities associated with OneCoin.
The funds were then obscured through multiple accounts in offshore locations like the Cayman Islands, followed by transfers back to the fraud’s principals, disguised as legitimate investments. This deceit involved misinformation directed at banks and financial institutions worldwide to facilitate the movement of the illicit funds and bypass anti-money laundering measures.
As the legal proceedings unfold, Kolesnikova’s claims regarding her luxurious possessions, alongside her community rights to marital property, will be closely examined alongside the overarching issues concerning the broader implications of the OneCoin fraud.