Visa imposes $500,000 fine on Russian RFI Bank

Visa, the payments giant, has approved a fine of $500,000 against the Russian RFI Bank for conducting high-risk operations, сообщает Telegram channel «НеКоломыченко». The bank clarified that the fines pertain to merchant clients, and an information attack has been launched against the organization.

“High-risk transactions are illegal casinos and bookmakers; in the case of RFI Bank, also cryptocurrencies,” the Telegram channel said.

ForkLog could not find information about the fine on Visa’s site nor confirm the exact amount.

RFI Bank confirmed that Visa did indeed issue the fine, but all charges pertain to merchants using the bank’s acquiring services, and the stated amount “does not correspond to reality.”

“There are fines, but these are commissions for partners’ error in transmitting the activity-type identifier. RFI Bank acts as the acquirer under the service agreement; fines from Visa’s payment system are charged to the bank and subsequently billed to customers’ accounts. There are no losses at the bank,” the bank’s press service stressed.

Representatives added that an information attack is being waged against their organization in anonymous Telegram channels.

In 2019, RFI Bank planned to cooperate with the card issuer Wirecard. A processing agreement draft between the partners exists online:

Договор эквайринга by ForkLog on Scribd

По словам председателя правления РФИ Банка Юрия Косынкина, контракт с Wirecard действительно был заключен, «но не было проведено ни одной транзакции, тем самым контракт не вступил в силу и в итоге был расторгнут».

В комментарии The Bell замруководителя маркетинговой службы банка Владимир Журавлев added, что в планах партнеров было совместное обслуживание платежей западных клиентов, поставляющих товары в Россию, но «бизнес не пошел, ни одного цента по этому договору проведено не было».

РФИ Банк проходит ответчиком по арбитражному разбирательству с правообладателем процессингового решения, используемого банком. Сумма исковых требований составляет почти 50 млн рублей.

Определение о назначении судебной экспертизы by ForkLog on Scribd

As noted, Wirecard collapsed in June after €1.9 billion was found missing. On June 25 the company filed for bankruptcy. Over the week, Wirecard’s stock fell 99%—from €104 to €2.

Former Wirecard CEO Markus Braun has been arrested on suspicion of falsifying data on the company’s cash balances.

Former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek, after disappearing, carried out a large transfer in bitcoin and is reportedly hiding in Russia.

Earlier ForkLog reported that Wirecard’s business partner was found dead in the Philippines.

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