Global network used Wirecard infrastructure for credit card fraud

A global network allegedly used Wirecard infrastructure to carry out large-scale credit card fraud, but the suspects on trial in Munich are not connected to the case, BR reported. The statement was made by Koblenz senior public prosecutor Susanne Schüler during the Wirecard trial at Munich Regional Court.

Investigations by the Koblenz General Public Prosecutor’s Office and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office began in December 2020 under the name Operation Chargeback. Five years later, investigators carried out an international operation against suspected fraud and money laundering networks that allegedly misused credit card data millions of times and stole more than 300 million euros.

According to the investigation so far, 4.3 million cardholders in 193 countries were affected. In early November 2025, authorities searched 60 properties in nine countries, including Germany and the United States, and executed 18 arrest warrants.

Wirecard employees under investigation

Wirecard came under the scrutiny of the Koblenz investigators in March 2022. The lead came from Germany’s Financial Intelligence Unit, the central office for combating money laundering, which had analysed indications of money laundering at Wirecard.

The investigation developed into suspicions that former Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek, who is wanted by authorities, helped establish the fraud network. Former Wirecard Asia sales chief Brigitte H. was also investigated. Authorities arrested her in Singapore and extradited her to Germany in March 2026. Another former senior Wirecard sales employee, Markus F., is also in pretrial detention.

Munich defendants not linked to Chargeback case

The Munich trial concerns former Wirecard chief executive Markus Braun, the company’s former representative in Dubai, Oliver Bellenhaus, and former chief accountant Stephan von Erffa. They have been on trial since December 2022 on allegations including commercial gang fraud and falsifying financial statements.

Asked by presiding judge Markus Födisch whether any of the three defendants had been involved in the Koblenz Chargeback case, Schüler answered: “No.”

Fake companies and websites

The Koblenz operation targets 44 suspects, including the three former Wirecard employees. Prosecutors allege that the suspects established about 500 shell companies over several years. Those companies operated more than 2,000 professionally designed fake websites, mainly involving pornography.

Investigators say the fraud was possible because executives at payment service providers helped generate and process the fraudulent transactions. The inquiry therefore also includes representatives of Unzer, former Concardis and Payone, as well as Wirecard employees.

Schüler told the court that the three Wirecard suspects Jan Marsalek, Brigitte H. and Markus F. appeared to have been aligned with the suspected fraud networks. She said they knew that the shell companies submitted pornography websites to Wirecard Bank for processing, while transactions were then processed through other fake sites.

Numerous shell companies also allegedly received bank accounts through Wirecard. The proceeds were then laundered through a hierarchical structure, according to the prosecutor.