Investors of the Austrian Crypto-MLM scheme OPTIOMENT most probably will never see their investment again. Hope dies last, so they say but in OPTIOMENT‘s case hope already died.
A few weeks after the OPTIOMENT collapse the Austrian Rene REUMUELLER announced the establishment of a bail-out or rescue fund for OPTIMENT investors in a joint effort with leading OPTIOMENT distributors. Besides others, the so-called 3 OPTIOMENT musketeers wanted to join this bail-out initiative and provide initial funds. The 3 musketeers are suspects in the criminal case around OPTIOMENT. They were the leading distributors and allegedly raised thousands of Bitcoins from investors.
The bail-out fund for investors was structured as a non-profit organization called RCIID (Rocket Chain Institute for International Development). Unfortunately, their website is already offline again or at least under construction. Purportedly, the initial funds of BTC 150 have not been paid in by the involved OPTIOMENT distributors, i.e. the 3 musketeers. According to the Austrian media outled “Der Standard“, Rene REUMUELLER said that RCIID works on a restructuring of their website and on a comprehensive statement. Does this sound a bit strange to you? Well, it is!
OPTIOMENT is one of the largest crypto-scams in Europe with some 12,500 BTC investors paid into the scheme. It developed into an international crime case with another Austrian crypto-entrepreneur, Christopher RIEDER, involved in the case. RIEDER is one of the founders of COINTED and a suspect in the criminal case. He allegedly was responsible for the “fund management” and arranged the transfer of investors funds to OPTIOMENT via his COINTED. RIEDER embarked for a long business trip immediately after OPTIOMENT collapsed. People close to the case say that he is on the run and might not show up again.
A few weeks ago the Austrian police raided COINTED‘s offices. It’s not yet clear if and to what extend COINTED and its people were involved in the OPTIOMENT scheme. It’s a fact, however, that COINTED‘s crypto-ATMs played a crucial part in the scheme. They were used to change FIAT funds into Bitcoins which have then be sent to OPTIOMENT. It has to mentioned that it does not require a permission or license to operate crypto-ATMS in Austria, it’s a completely unregulated space.
The Austrian authorities are currently investigating intensely against a total of 7 suspects and the Optioment environment. We have heard that Christopher Rieder is scheduled to hear for the coming weeks. However, we have no information as to whether RIEDER will actually come to Austria for questioning.
