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Tag: Franklin Cachia

April 12, 2022

Russian-owned Staern Limited surrenders Maltese crypto license!

Some €60 billion in crypto moved through Malta after it first announced itself as the "blockchain island." One of the crypto ventures that moved to the crypto island was Staern Limited, registered in Malta in May 2020. The company was awarded a Virtual Financial Asset (VFA) license by the MFSA soon after. However, the “blockchain island” became a disaster. Staern has now surrendered its license. The sole shareholder of Staern is the Russian Khetag Albegov.

September 30, 2021

EFRI, Paytah, and quite interesting Financial Ombudsman Hearings in Malta

Phoenix Payments Ltd d/b/a Paytah, registered in Malta and regulated by the MFSA, is currently at the center of regulatory and criminal investigations in several European jurisdictions. In addition, Paytah is facing claims from scam victims who made deposits to various scams through Paytah and its affiliates. The European Fund Recovery Initiative (EFRI) represented the interests of victims at an obscure Financial Ombudsman hearing in Malta. Franklin Cachia of CSB Group represented Paytah. Cachia is currently the company's contracted compliance officer.

July 16, 2021

Neglecting Eurojust Guidelines – Maltese Authorities refuse to investigate scam-facilitator Paytah

Malta is greylisted for good reasons, mostly for their failing regulators. Malta-licensed, Phoenix Payments Ltd d/b/a Paytah, refuses to assist the many victims who wired money to the company to top their accounts with broker scams like RoyalsFX, LincolnFX, or CodeFX. Victims reported these transactions to the MFSA. The regulator replied that they would not investigate and asked the victims to report Paytah to the Central Bank of Malta, which replied that it would not investigate such complaints. The victims also emailed Kenneth Farrugia, the Director of Malta Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, who did not reply.

Financial Intelligence Report: Lykke Exchange Collapse

Swiss crypto exchange Lykke has collapsed following a major security breach in June 2024, resulting in the loss of approximately $22 million in customer funds. The incident led to the suspension of trading activities, bankruptcy proceedings, and significant financial losses for investors. This report analyzes the events leading to Lykke's downfall, the impact on stakeholders, and the ongoing legal actions.

Hunting Down: Background on The Arrest of Garantex Co-Founder Aleksej Bešciokov in India!

On March 13, 2025, Indian authorities arrested Aleksej Bešciokov, a Lithuanian national and alleged co-founder of the sanctioned Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, in Kovalam, Kerala. The arrest followed an international law enforcement action Bešciokov now awaits extradition to Lithuania on charges of money laundering, sanctions evasion, and facilitating ransomware transactions.

Call to Whistleblowers: What Is the World Economic Council (WEC) Really Up To?

The financial world in Europe is still reeling from the collapse of Rene Benko’s Signa Group, one of the largest and most scandalous bankruptcies in European history. Amid the rubble, a curious pattern has emerged: leading figures from the World Economic Council (WEC) — including Robert Schimanko, Thomas Limberger, and their legal advisor and business partner William H. Shawn — have quietly moved into strategic leadership positions within foundations linked to Benko.

Kraken’s $1.5 Billion NinjaTrader Acquisition Signals Bold Expansion Ahead of 2026 IPO

Kraken has acquired NinjaTrader in a $1.5 billion deal, marking a strategic leap toward uniting traditional finance with the crypto ecosystem. The move not only diversifies Kraken’s offerings but also sets the stage for its anticipated public listing in 2026. The timing aligns with renewed optimism in the crypto sector, driven by expectations of more favorable regulatory conditions under U.S. President Trump.

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Profile & Regulatory Analysis: Russian-Israeli Crypto Banker Moriel Carmi (formerly Mark Weinstein) and the Case for FCA Scrutiny

This report presents a comprehensive and objective profile of Moriel Carmi, a Russian-born Israeli financier previously known as Mark Mikhailovich Weinstein, who has emerged at the center of a growing network of high-risk payment processors and crypto service providers. Following a landmark ruling by the AIFC Court in Kazakhstan, questions now arise about Carmi’s regulatory fitness within the UK, where he operates the FCA-regulated e-money institution TomPay Ltd.