Tag: PayVision

StablR Ltd (Malta, C 104007) positions itself as a MiCA-ready euro-stablecoin issuer. Official filings show a simple Dutch holding chain, but deeper registry work and legacy links to Payvision’s cyber-crime scandal raise doubts about the project’s true beneficial owners (UBOs). While no hard evidence yet ties Payvision founder Rudolf Booker (or other ex-shareholders) directly to StablR, multiple red flags—including addresses previously used by Booker-controlled entities and a board dominated by former Payvision managers—demand regulatory scrutiny.

The European Fund Recovery Initiative (EFRI) has filed a disciplinary complaint with the Haagse Orde van Advocaten against top-tier Dutch firm BarentsKrans and partner William Schonewille. The Bar has acknowledged receipt and assigned the matter to its supervisory board (file number undisclosed). EFRI alleges conflict-of-interest concealment, abrupt withdrawal on the eve of a deadline, and retention of unearned fees in a mass-fraud appeal against ING subsidiary Payvision. More than 600 retail victims are left without counsel.

The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) was sold to legislators as the end of Europe’s regulatory patch-work. In theory, every crypto-asset service provider (CASP) will live under the same anti-money-laundering (AML), governance and disclosure standards from 30 December 2024. In practice, the first six months of “early bird” licensing suggest that member states are already competing to become the Cayman Islands of MiCA.

StablR, the Malta-based and MFSA-regulated issuer of EURR and USDR stablecoins, promotes itself as a compliant, euro-denominated digital currency provider under the EU’s new MiCA regime. However, what is missing in its clean-cut public image is the checkered past of its founder and CEO, Gijs op de Weegh, who served as COO of Payvision, a Dutch payment processor infamous for facilitating cybercrime.

In April 2025, Mohamad Shaker — the head of the largest boiler room in German cybercriminal Uwe Lenhoff’s vast cybercrime empire — was sentenced to 8 years in prison by a German court. Shaker's conviction marks another milestone in dismantling one of Europe’s largest cybercrime organizations. Yet, while some lieutenants have faced justice, the key facilitators — including executives of Payvision and the Amsterdam-based money laundering network — remain untouched.

In a case that raises fundamental questions about legal ethics and professional accountability, the Dutch law firm BarentsKrans has come under fire for abandoning the European Fund Recovery Initiative (EFRI) and over 600 financial fraud victims just days before a critical court deadline. EFRI accuses the law firm of concealment, conflict of interest, and unethical conduct—all while pocketing tens of thousands of euros meant for justice. This is not just a legal misstep. It’s a betrayal.

MiCA compliance, Malta EMI license, real-time attestations, institutional governance— the latest whitepaper (v3.1) from stablecoin issuer StablR Ltd reads like a checklist of regulatory best practices. But behind this sleek, compliant façade lies a troubling contradiction: the company’s leadership history and backers tell a story that regulators and investors should not ignore.

The Payvision scandal is one of the most shocking cases of corporate complicity in global cybercrime. A Dutch payment processor, Payvision, actively facilitated fraud networks, laundering and distributing stolen funds for years. Despite overwhelming evidence, Dutch authorities refuse to hold those responsible accountable and continue to withhold crucial investigative reports that could help victims recover their stolen money.

FinTelegram anticipates that Tether, the world’s leading stablecoin issuer, may be banned in the EU starting in 2025 due to non-compliance with the EU’s new MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) framework. Tether has not applied for or received MiCA authorization, raising questions about its future in Europe. Moreover, its investment in the European stablecoin issuer StablR represents a red flag.

Tether, the world’s leading stablecoin issuer, has shocked the crypto and financial world by investing in StablR, an EU stablecoin issuer run by former Payvision COO Gijs op de Weegh. This move raises serious questions about Tether’s due diligence processes and ethical commitments, as StablR’s leadership is tied to one of Europe’s most notorious financial scandals involving cybercrime facilitation. Crypto investors and stablecoin users should proceed with caution.

Former ING CEO Ralph Hamers continues to face legal scrutiny for his role in ING's involvement in large-scale money laundering activities. Although the bank settled with Dutch authorities in 2018, paying a €775 million fine, Hamers has yet to be personally charged. Despite a Dutch court's order, prosecutors have yet to formally indict him, raising questions about the pace and priority of anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement in the Netherlands compared to other EU jurisdictions.

JPMorgan Chase, a financial powerhouse in the U.S., and ING Group, a dominant banking institution in the Netherlands, have both ventured into the acquisition of FinTech companies to expand their digital capabilities. However, these acquisitions' strategies and subsequent management have diverged significantly, reflecting differences in corporate governance, regulatory environments, and responses to crises. Here is our comparative analysis.