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Worldline Facilitated Payments for Shadowy websites, Research Reveals

Brussels – A recent inquiry has uncovered evidence suggesting that Worldline, a Paris-based digital payment processing company listed on the Euronext Paris exchange, knowingly processed transactions for a vast network of questionable websites, including those involved in adult entertainment, online gambling, and perhaps fraudulent dating services. The findings indicate a intentional strategy to prioritize profit over stringent risk assessment, potentially exposing the company to legal and reputational damage.

The Role of the Belgian Branch

While headquartered in Paris, the investigation points to Worldline’s Belgian subsidiary in Brussels as central to onboarding these high-risk clients. An aggressive expansion policy, reportedly lacking robust ethical oversight, allowed the Brussels office to become a preferred payment processor for operators of dubious online platforms. This strategy enabled these sites to circumvent stricter regulations and scrutiny elsewhere.

circumventing Security Measures

The research alleges that Worldline, through its subsidiary Emerchantpay, actively worked to obscure the true nature of transactions originating from these sites, even in the face of warnings from payment networks like Visa. This involved utilizing various techniques to mask the fraud risks associated with the payments,making it more arduous for authorities to identify and block illicit activity. According to a report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in February 2024, inadequate customer due diligence remains a significant vulnerability in the payments sector, facilitating money laundering and other financial crimes