Payone, German Bank-Owned Payment Service, Accused of Ignoring Money Laundering Red Flags, Engaging in 'Dubious' Deals

Payone, a payment service provider owned 40% by German Sparkassen, has been accused of ignoring money laundering red flags and doing business with "dubious figures." The firm allegedly processed payments in the millions for high-risk customers, including dating and porn sites accused of scamming people. Payone denied wrongdoing, stating it took immediate action to end business relationships with these clients and improved its risk management framework.

Payone, a German payment service provider owned by Sparkassen, has been under scrutiny for allegedly ignoring money laundering red flags and doing business with high-risk clients. The company has been accused of processing millions in payments for dating and porn sites that have been accused of scamming people.

The revelations came to light as part of a broader investigation dubbed "Dirty Payments," which has been ongoing for several years. According to internal documents reviewed by journalists, Payone allowed customers linked to high-risk activities to transfer significant sums without conducting the necessary anti-money laundering checks [1].

The investigation has drawn comparisons to the Wirecard scandal, where Payone is said to have inherited several clients after the Bavarian group's collapse. Payone has denied wrongdoing, stating that it has taken immediate action to end business relationships with these clients and has improved its risk management framework [1].

The scandal has had a significant impact on Payone's parent company, Worldline. The revelations led to a 10% drop in Worldline's share price in early trading on the Paris Stock Exchange, with shares falling to €4.11 [1].

Meanwhile, in a separate development, Malaysia's High Court has discharged but not acquitted jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak of money laundering charges in a long-running case involving the scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB. The prosecution can re-file the charges once they are ready to proceed [2].

In other news, Trump Media & Technology Group has approved a $400 million share repurchase plan, aiming to enhance shareholder value and strengthen long-term trust in the company's financial plan. The company has also maintained its $2.3 billion Bitcoin plan, indicating its commitment to cryptocurrency investments [3].

References:
[1] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/WORLDLINE-16783982/news/Worldline-once-again-in-the-eye-of-the-storm-50328910/
[2] https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2025:newsml_L6N3SN03D:0-malaysia-drops-1mdb-related-money-laundering-charges-against-ex-pm-najib/
[3] https://www.tronweekly.com/trump-media-approves-400m-share-buyback/