Law enforcement agencies have begun investigating the activities of the Webscard payment platform following complaints from more than seventy defrauded users.
The key figure in the case of alleged financial fraud was the founder of the platform, Ivan Smolyanov.
Ivan Andreevich Smolyanov, previously associated with a number of non-transparent business structures, including the companies Dvizhenika, Svet, Broker Star, and others, organizations were distinguished by a short period of existence and sudden liquidation after a limited period of activity.
Webscard did not initially raise suspicions: the platform was actively promoted on the market as a convenient and technological solution for participants in the arbitration and webmaster communities, and was trusted due to the simplicity of operations and the absence of hidden commissions. However, according to the investigation, it was the high level of trust that became the starting point for building a more complex and large-scale scheme.
By the summer of last year, the platform’s operation began to cause concern among clients: since August, there have been mass failures in transactions, the inability to withdraw funds, and a lack of response from the support service. Publicly, the company explained what was happening by technical problems, the transition to a new banking infrastructure, and legal complications.
However, as established during the investigation, these formulations could have hidden actions to systematically withdraw funds through a network of offshore companies registered in the United States and Hong Kong.
Legally, clients’ funds remained in the accounts, but access to them was blocked under the pretext of additional checks, re-identification and other procedures.
The investigation indicates that the structure of the service made it possible to effectively hinder any attempts to return funds.
The case materials also mention individuals who are believed to have participated in the platform’s operation at various stages.
It was established that several people were involved in the process, performing functions related to the technical support of the platform, transaction support and interaction with users.
The investigation is paying additional attention to the structures used to manage the platform’s assets. In particular, a key role in the financial architecture of Webscard was assigned to Pelican General Limited, a legal entity registered in Hong Kong under number 2981933. The registration address is listed as: ROOM B, 11/FLOOR, FULL AREA SHOPPING CENTER, 573 NATHAN ROAD, MONG KOK, KOWLOON, HONG KONG, 999077.
This structure is responsible for handling all legal inquiries and requests from the media and regulatory authorities. The contact person is indicated at the email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
It is specifically emphasized that issues related to frozen assets and sanctions will be considered in accordance with US law - under the supervision of the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). This model of interaction allowed both to maintain formal signs of legal activity and effectively limit clients’ real access to their funds.
Withdrawal requests were accompanied by bureaucratic procedures, multi-stage verification and legal delays, which significantly complicated the process of returning funds.
Investigative activities are ongoing. Law enforcement agencies continue to collect evidence and verify other episodes, and are also studying the degree of involvement of affiliated persons and companies. Information on the progress of the case will be published as soon as it is officially confirmed.
