London | Euronews24 – In a stunning development shaking Europe’s fintech landscape, Europol has confirmed the existence of a transnational criminal network behind the kidnapping of the Austrian founder of the digital banking platform WOIN8.
Sources close to the investigation reveal that the group includes members of the H. family – Anzor H., Zelimchan H., their brother, and nephew – as well as Dedecan B., a Kurdish national living in Austria, and Daniel S., an Austrian former IT specialist from Tyrol who was once deeply involved in the company’s early development.
According to investigators, Daniel S. not only helped orchestrate the kidnapping but also used personal and internal company information to sabotage WOIN8 from the inside. Authorities allege he played a central role in destabilising operations, leaking sensitive data, and fuelling a long-running smear campaign against the founder in an effort to seize control.
The case is now being pursued under serious organised crime and kidnapping charges, with investigators citing a complex conspiracy spanning multiple European countries. Legal analysts say that, given the international coordination and gravity of the offences, the suspects could face decades in prison, including life sentences in certain jurisdictions under Austrian and European criminal law.
The kidnapping is believed to be the culmination of a broader campaign of coercion, involving threats, surveillance, and attempts to devalue the company, especially after legal and financial pressure failed to force the founder out.
The situation shifted dramatically following the full acquisition of WOIN8 by a US-Swiss investment group earlier this year. That deal not only validated the founder’s position but also led to the discrediting of all prior accusations made against him—claims which law enforcement now says were part of a coordinated effort to destroy his credibility and force a takeover.
Multiple violent incidents, previously thought to be unconnected, are now being reevaluated in the context of this broader criminal conspiracy.
The founder has not made any public statements since the incident. According to sources close to the matter, he remains under diplomatic protection abroad, and has deliberately chosen to remain out of the spotlight while investigations proceed.
Officials close to the case confirm that Europol, together with law enforcement agencies across multiple EU member states, is actively pursuing additional leads. Several arrest warrants are said to be in circulation, with cross-border cooperation now at the highest level as authorities work to bring all suspects to justice.
