Zurich · Cross-border mandates · Private & institutional clients EN DE

Matters of note

Anonymised case outlines

Five illustrative engagements from the firm's recent work. Facts have been paraphrased and identifying details removed in line with confidentiality obligations. Past outcomes are not predictive of future results, and every matter turns on its own facts.

Matter type
CFD broker, execution & retention misconduct
Jurisdictions
Cyprus · DACH
Approx. loss
High six figures (EUR)
Instruments
Civil claim · CySEC complaint · settlement
Duration
~12 months

Cyprus-licensed CFD broker, execution & retention misconduct

A DACH-region retail investor approached the firm after a CySEC-licensed CFD broker had blocked withdrawals and pivoted to aggressive "tax-clearance" demands. Account-manager logs showed scripted retention tactics, off-platform deposit requests, and inverted quote behaviour evident from the trade book.

The firm filed a structured CySEC complaint highlighting alleged conduct breaches and best-execution failures, in parallel with a civil claim under Cypriot conduct rules. The combination of regulator-facing pressure and credible civil leverage produced a mediated settlement returning a meaningful portion of the loss.

Outcome Partial recovery via mediated settlement; CySEC retained file for review.

Anonymised facts. Case outcomes vary; past matters do not predict future results.

Matter type
Offshore "AI trading bot" fraud
Jurisdictions
St. Vincent · pan-EU victims
Approx. loss
Low seven figures (group total)
Instruments
Chargebacks · blockchain tracing · criminal complaints
Duration
Card recovery weeks; crypto ongoing

St. Vincent "AI trading bot" — pure scam recovery

A small group of European investors had funded what appeared to be a sophisticated AI-driven trading platform out of St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The platform's UI was polished; the gains were fictional. Cards and crypto rails were both used. The operating entity disappeared shortly after the firm was instructed.

Coordinated action proceeded on three fronts: Visa/Mastercard chargebacks under reason codes 4837 and 13.5 within the relevant filing window; blockchain tracing through two centralised exchanges that ultimately enabled KYC-unmasking via disclosure orders; criminal complaints filed in two jurisdictions, with one prosecutor's office accepting the file for active investigation.

Outcome Full recovery of card-rail portion; crypto-side recovery in progress.

Anonymised facts. Case outcomes vary; past matters do not predict future results.

Matter type
Romance-investment ("pig-butchering") fraud
Jurisdictions
Switzerland · SE Asia
Approx. loss
Low six figures (CHF)
Instruments
Emergency exchange freeze · KYC unmasking · criminal track
Duration
Initial freeze within 48 hours; resolution ongoing

Romance-investment scheme via Telegram

A senior private client had been gradually drawn into a crypto-investment platform introduced through a months-long Telegram relationship. Withdrawals were blocked under escalating "tax" demands. The platform was fictional; funds had moved through a sequence of wallets to a centralised exchange.

The firm sent emergency freeze requests to the destination exchange within 48 hours, obtained a Swiss disclosure order against the exchange, and filed a criminal complaint in Switzerland alongside one in the relevant Asian jurisdiction via local counsel. Substantial value was recovered from the exchange-side freeze; a structured settlement with on-chain identifiable parties is under negotiation.

Outcome Meaningful recovery from exchange freeze; structured settlement under negotiation.

Anonymised facts. Case outcomes vary; past matters do not predict future results.

Matter type
Failed offshore broker, administrator coordination
Jurisdictions
Offshore · EU onshore
Approx. loss
Seven figures
Instruments
Proof of debt · civil claim · victim-remission tracking
Duration
Insolvency proceeding ~24 months

Failed offshore broker, coordination with foreign administrators

A family office had placed seven figures with an offshore broker that subsequently entered foreign administration. Parallel onshore introducer entities had taken commissions but distanced themselves on collapse.

The firm filed a proof of debt in the foreign insolvency, ensuring priority-class admission; brought a civil claim against the onshore introducer asserting misrepresentation and breach of duties; and tracked an emerging victim-remission programme in a third jurisdiction so the client's eligibility was preserved without prejudicing the civil claim.

Outcome Priority-class admission; civil and remission tracks running in parallel.

Anonymised facts. Case outcomes vary; past matters do not predict future results.

Matter type
Unregulated copy-trading "manager"
Jurisdictions
UK · Switzerland
Approx. loss
Low seven figures (CHF)
Instruments
Civil claim · asset tracing · enforcement
Duration
~18 months to judgment

Unregulated copy-trading "manager"

A high-net-worth individual had entrusted funds to an individual presenting as a "copy-trading manager" under master-account arrangements. The arrangement lacked the licensure required under UK and Swiss financial-services rules; documented misrepresentations supported breach-of-fiduciary patterns.

The firm pursued a contractual misrepresentation and breach-of-fiduciary claim in coordinated London/Zurich proceedings, with parallel tracing into real-property holdings identified through company-registry and Land-Registry analysis. Judgment was obtained; enforcement against identified assets is in progress.

Outcome Judgment obtained; enforcement against property holdings under way.

Anonymised facts. Case outcomes vary; past matters do not predict future results.