SEATTLE — A former Bellevue resident and convicted Ponzi scheme artist is wanted by the Seattle Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office after violating the conditions of his supervision.
Volodimyr Pigida, 48, was convicted of 26 counts connected to a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme in a Seattle federal court in December 2022 along with his wife, Marina Bondarenko.
Pigida failed to appear for his sentencing hearing on Aug. 4 and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Pigida is considered "armed and dangerous" and anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to immediately contact their local FBI office.
Among the 26 felony convictions were charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, mail fraud, and bankruptcy fraud. Pigida and his wife operated a "work-at-home" email scheme that defrauded thousands of victims to the tune of over $11 million.
Pigida and his wife created "Trend Sound Promoter" and convinced people to buy packages related to email marketing. The company made over $22 million, and the couple eventually transferred over $3 million out of the company and attempted to hide it from a bankruptcy court and creditors through various trusts.
He is described by the FBI's wanted poster as 6-foot-2 and between 240 and 280 pounds, with either blond hair or a bald head. Pigida was born in Ukraine but is a naturalized American citizen.
Anyone with information should contact their local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or submit a tip online at tips@fbi.gov.
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