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57 'persons of interest' in Wirecard probe

Business

57 'persons of interest' in Wirecard probe

By Bloomberg

The Philippines’ anti-money laundering authority has identified 57 “persons of interest,” including foreigners and local bank officers and government officials, whose links to Wirecard AG are being scrutinized.

The Wirecard AG app is displayed on an Apple Inc. iPhone X smartphone in this arranged photograph near skyscrapers in the financial district in Frankfurt, Germany.( Bloomberg file photo)

Authorities are analyzing the transactions of these people who are “not necessarily the accused or respondents in a criminal case,” Mel Georgie Racela, executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, said in a virtual briefing in Manila.

The agency’s probe won’t extend to the banks where officers worked as possible lapses in internal controls will be tackled by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Authorities are building cases against domestic violators of the Anti-Money Laundering Act and are waiting for evidence from German authorities so it can pursue charges against key people including former Wirecard COO Jan Marsalek.

They are also looking at companies possibly related to former Wirecard executive Christopher Bauer, who died in July in a Philippine hospital. Unit Wirecard e-Money Philippines Inc. appears to have no connection to the alleged fraudulent activities, said Racela, adding that there’s no need to “press the panic button” as the company is willing to cooperate with the investigation.

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