FinTelegram received a “DMCA” email from Stoyan Staykov demanding the removal of two articles. The message included ID scans and screenshots, but none of the statutory details that identify a specific copyrighted work. The notice is therefore formally deficient and, in our assessment, a misuse of the DMCA.
Alpha Bulgaria AD (“Alpha Bulgaria”, ALFB) is a Sofia-based public investment company listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange. The group positions itself as a fast-growing holding with a rapidly upsized share capital and a portfolio that includes the alternative investment fund Alpha Fund AD, a sub-10% exposure to Wiener Privatbank SE (Vienna), and an $8 million offshore investment in Canal Bank SA, Panama.
On April 1, 2025, Alpha Fund AD – a Bulgarian investment vehicle linked to controversial figure Stoyan Staykov – approved an $8 million capital injection into Canal Bank S.A. in Panama. At first glance, the deal appears routine. But a deeper look reveals hallmarks of a capital-shifting operation typical of transnational money laundering. The deal, signed by Alpha Fund’s executive Rumen Nanov and executed via Sofia-based Faktori AD, raises serious red flags.
Wiener Privatbank (WPB) is Austria’s only listed private bank. Its 2025 shareholder roster includes a 9.55% position by Alpha Fund AD (Bulgaria) — a stake size that sits just below the 10% “qualifying holding” threshold that triggers enhanced regulatory scrutiny. The Alpha Fund link pulls in a wider, opaque web around Alpha Bulgaria AD, BGA Management GmbH (Vienna), and Bulgarian holding companies.