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International Upset
Alongside all the legal battles, there are also political battles of epic proportions.
In Germany, Wirecard’s collapse led to high-profile inquiries, challenging the credibility of German regulatory bodies, such as BaFin (Federal Financial Supervisory Authority).
Wirecard’s implosion also prompted investigations by the European Securities and Markets Authority and others, including the Singaporean authorities who are investigating Wirecard’s Asian subsidiaries.
But those issues pale in comparison to the uncovering of an international spy ring involving multiple countries and a bunch of double agents.
Undercover Operations
There was once an Austrian intelligence officer called Egisto Ott. Ott worked (apparently) for the Austrian intelligence agency, the BVT. He was good friends with his boss, Martin Weiss.
After leaving the agency, they both started to work for Marsalek and Wirecard. Weiss acted as the conduit for orders issued from Marsalek to Ott and the team.
According to the British MI5, they had become aware of a network of at least 5 Bulgarian citizens who allegedly carried out missions at the request of Marsalek. MI5 provided this information, along with many chat messages to their Austrian counterparts.
The chat messages pointed to multiple missions having been carried out by Ott and accomplices; They broke into an apartment belonging to a Bulgarian investigative journalist and stole a laptop. They also stole data from cellphones belonging to Austrian officials. And many more.
Funding for these operations, it is alleged, was provided by Marsalek who used Wirecard’s payment systems.
Ott Water
March 2024, in Austria, Ott is arrested. The arrest warrant reveals that between 2017 and 2021, Ott allegedly collected sensitive data on individuals of interest to Russia and Marsalek.
Ott reportedly used national police databases and coordinated with police in countries like Italy and Britain. He also accessed Europe’s Schengen Area information systems to determine if Russian operatives and ex-Wirecard employees were under travel restrictions.
The surveillance reportedly targeted Russian dissidents, business figures, and a former Russian intelligence officer who had left the FSB.
Austria Infiltrated
Austria is not only facing a big spy scandal but also a political scandal.
The trial of Ott will begin at around the time of writing this article, 13th November 2024. Ott is accused of passing information to the Russian secret service and to Marsalek.
Alongside Ott will stand a certain Hans-Joerg Jenewein. Jenewein is a former law-maker and a member of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party (FPO). He is accused of coercing Ott to share details of participants of a meeting of European secret services.
Where is Jan Marsalek Now?
Marsalek fled Germany in 2020. Apperenty, he faked a trip to China and Taiwan but most likely flew to Belarus and then travelled on to Moscow. He is believed to be living there now.
It’s unlikely he will ever be prosecuted.
