The founders of the crypto fintech agency Bankera used funds from the undertaking’s 2018 preliminary coin providing to buy luxurious properties worldwide, in response to a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Venture.
The OCCRP reported on April 28, citing leaked firm data and financial institution statements, that almost half of the funds from Bankera’s 100 million euro ($114 million) ICO have been transferred to a financial institution within the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu that was bought by the undertaking’s founders, Vytautas Karalevičius, Justas Dobiliauskas and Mantas Mockevičius.
Quickly after, the Vanuatu financial institution reportedly started issuing thousands and thousands of euros in loans to firms owned by the trio to construct a luxurious actual property portfolio — together with a villa within the French Riviera and high-end property in Lithuania, the place the undertaking was based.
The leaked data and statements reportedly present that the funds have been used to underwrite loans to different firms, which have been then used to buy high-end actual property.
The Vanuatu financial institution additionally loaned thousands and thousands extra on to the three founders for “private use,” in response to the OCCRP report.
Attorneys representing the founders reportedly denied that the ICO was fraudulent however declined to touch upon particular transactions.
Cointelegraph contacted Bankera for remark however didn’t obtain an instantaneous response.
Bankera over-promised, under-delivered
Bankera pledged to grow to be the “financial institution for the blockchain period,” providing a collection of retail and institutional funding providers whereas holding and exchanging many of the largest cryptocurrencies.
Many traders have been drawn to the Bankera (BNK) token ICO by the promise of discounted charges on Bankera’s providers and merchandise, together with the chance to earn weekly BNK payouts.
Nonetheless, an investor in Bankera’s ICO instructed the OCCRP that these weekly payouts started to “drop considerably beneath the promised quantity.”
The revenue-sharing scheme was reportedly halted in 2022.
Associated: Tether scales crypto payments in Eastern Europe with new investment
Bankera additionally reportedly promised to acquire a European Union banking license, which is but to materialize.
Regardless of the 100 million euro ICO increase, the totally diluted worth of the BNK token is presently at $975,710, CoinGecko information shows.
Bankera continues to offer crypto-related banking providers and maintains an energetic social media presence on LinkedIn and, to a lesser extent, X.
Journal: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again