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Shares in French payments giant Worldline slumped on Wednesday following revelations from a cross-border investigative report alleging the company facilitated suspicious transactions and overlooked fraudulent activity to protect revenues.
The exposé—part of the “Dirty Payments” investigation led by the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC) network and 21 partner media organisations—claimed that Worldline knowingly processed payments for high-risk clients linked to illicit operations.
In response to the allegations, the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a formal investigation into Worldline’s Belgian subsidiary. The case has been assigned to the Federal Judicial Police, with investigators examining claims that the company handled transactions for entities involved in illegal activities.
In a statement issued to Reuters, Worldline confirmed its cooperation with authorities and reiterated its commitment to regulatory compliance. The company stated it has undertaken a comprehensive review of its high-brand-risk merchant portfolio—including sectors such as online gambling, stock trading platforms, and adult entertainment—since 2023.
Worldline emphasized its zero-tolerance policy for non-compliance and noted that it routinely engages with supervisory bodies across jurisdictions to strengthen oversight.
Speaking on an investor call reported by Bloomberg, Worldline CEO Pierre-Antoine Vacheron dismissed the investigation’s findings as a “media attack,” asserting that the report presented no new facts and promoted what he described as an “unacceptable narrative.”
The development raises broader questions about risk controls within global payment networks and the effectiveness of internal compliance mechanisms, especially in sectors flagged for elevated fraud and money laundering vulnerabilities.
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies across the European fintech ecosystem, the outcome of the Belgian inquiry could set a precedent for how national authorities approach allegations of financial misconduct by payment processors operating across borders.
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