A few weeks ago, I blogged about the financial troubles afflicting ePassporte, an online payment provider whose sudden disconnection from the Visa network left many account holders without access to millions of dollars. I became interested in ePassporte because it kept popping up as I was investigating stories related to affiliate programs that reward people who peddle things like rogue anti-virus products and spam.
Since then, I’ve heard from a large number of disgruntled ePassporte account holders, most of whom were or are in the online porn industry, a market that ePassporte’s CEO Chris Mallick helped to nurture. In fact, as I noted in that original blog entry, Mallick produced “Middle Men,” a movie released by Paramount in August that is a fictionalized account of his experiences in the porn billing industry.
Many of those readers have been asking for an update on this story, and I’m afraid I don’t have a whole lot more to report. But the old adage about following the money led me to at least try to understand a bit more about how ePassporte is structured, and where its money may be.
Before I get to that, it makes sense to restate what’s been said by the parties involved. On Sept. 2, ePassporte owner Chris Mallick sent an e-mail to account holders saying the company was notified that effective immediately, Visa International had suspended the ePassporte Visa program, a card issued by St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank that ePassporte customers could use to withdraw cash at ATMs worldwide.
I contacted Visa for comment on that story, and the following Tuesday received a statement from Visa via e-mail saying that it had disconnected ePassporte at the request of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank to “address certain program deficiencies.” Neither Visa nor SKNA Bank has been willing to discuss what those deficiencies may have been. A story in the St. Kitts Nevis Observer quotes a St. Kitts National Bank representative as saying Visa had cleared them of any wrongdoing, although that official – Patricia Wilkinson – declined to say who had accused them of wrongdoing or answer any other questions when I reached her by phone on Monday.
In checking out numerous forums and looking up bank and incorporation records online, I learned that ePassporte is incorporated in Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela. Indeed, the ePassporte Visa cards themselves include this information, indirectly at least, with the statement:
“This card is issued by St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Limited” (“Bank”) pursuant to a license from Visa International and under a co-branding agreement between ePassporte N.V. and the bank.”
The Web site for the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry says ePassporte N.V. is registered at the address Kaya Richard J. Beaujon Z/N, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. The managing director of the company is a man named Gregory E. Elias (the same information is included in a old WHOIS records search for epassporte.com).
According to multiple ePassporte users with whom I’ve corresponded, any wires or bank transfers used to deposit funds in ePassporte accounts are sent to ePassporte N.V. via an entity called United International Bank N.V., an organization founded in 2009. Interestingly, United International Bank also lists the same Curaçao address, and lists Mr. Elias as a director, among others. So, on the surface at least, it appears that ePassporte and its primary bank are owned and operated by the same entity and directors.
I was able to locate a phone number for Mr. Elias and reached him this morning at United International Trust. Elias said he had no idea ePassporte customers were having trouble withdrawing their money from the bank, but he declined to answer direct questions about the situation.
“The only thing we can tell you is if you send your inquires and questions in writing to us, we will pass them on to Mr. Mallick and his lawyers,” Elias said. “We cannot go over queries over the phone. We never do that.” Elias declined to give me his e-mail address, saying I should be able to find it if I really were an investigative reporter.
Mallick and ePassporte have yet to respond to requests for comment. Mallick issued another statement Sept. 10 via an adult Webmaster forum, urging customers who were having trouble withdrawing their funds to be patient. “Our staff is all working diligently to resolve these issues and the many moving and complicated parts of getting the funds returned,” Mallick wrote. “Therefore, please do not mistake our silence as hiding, avoiding or stringing you along. We too have funds that are stuck in the system as well as massive costs of operation without any income.”
But bereft of any hard information from ePassporte, the company’s customers have begun spinning conspiracy theories about what could have fueled the entire fiasco. Some have pointed to Mallick’s film, which according to Web site boxofficemojo.com cost an estimated $20 million but grossed less than $800,000 in a three week run at the box office that ended in late August.
In any event, I put some of the information I found into a spreadsheet (a portion of which is included below), mainly to help me understand the relationship between the various interested parties as I followed the trail of other stories I’ve been working on. It may be useful to some ePassporte customers: It includes Mr. Elias’ e-mail address and phone number.
New message from epassporte… not good news. I had significant $$ in wallet and was waiting for an approved wire transfer. In the meantime I have been withdrawing max amount daily to bank account.
Message from minutes ago:
Dear Account Holder:
It is with great regret we inform you that ePassporte must close its doors due to a lack of revenue and circumstances beyond our control.
Effective immediately, the call center, ePassporte’s sales and marketing team and risk management staff will no longer be available.A small group will remain to organize wallet requests and help disburse funds. On the ePassporte website, in the near future, wallet holders will be provided further information on what is needed to obtain your funds. This will mainly be a process to protect wallet holder funds from fraud. We expect this will be a simplified process, and as we receive the necessary information, our small remaining staff will process requests as quickly as they can. Please direct your wallet questions, concerns and requests to walletrequest@ePassporte.com.
For those of you with funds on your Visa Accounts, we are informed that St. Kitts Bank is working on a plan to provide everyone with full access to their funds through their Visa Electron Cards or by bank wire transfers and will inform you accordingly.
We appreciate your support for the ePassporte program over the past 7 years and deeply regret we must close our doors at this difficult time.
Sincerely,
ePassporte.com
Yeah I heard from an ex-ePassporte employee today who still has friends there that all but a couple of ePassporte employees were let go today.
Well ePassporte has finally admitted they are closing down now. Does this mean they are filing bankruptcy? Will this affect the funds in SKNAB? I certainly hope not. If it’s a bankruptcy, does that mean they wont be held liable? Why is it that I have not seen any lawyers comment at all? I guess they are not at all interested when a bunch of cam girls/guys and web masters of porn sites are losing money eh? Some of us MUST be bad people! Lol j/k
Well, not only porn industry girls/guys was involved in this shit. I’m programmer and through the servises like regsoft.com, regnet.com and then through the DigitalRiver was joined to epassporte too. I’m not alone.
Good morning.
we’re going to get back our money little by little things are arranged. after all mess with ePassporte all headache that has brought my thoughts are with the employees that work in people. from one day to another are likely to remain without a job and they also have a family. these people have no faults. their work and carry out orders given by the head of the company. as when a boss says that lemon and viola! worker must tell you lemon and purple (though in reality, and yellow) is otherwise dismissed.
only fault of this mess and mismanagement by the leadership of ePassporte. we have a saying there: he who sows the wind picks up storm!
My thoughts are with the people who lose their job in this momment. from my heart and I hope they can find a job more seriously in the shortest time posibbile.
we are all angry. in these 34 days of major trouble. the end we are all human.
how are you guys able to see you balance on your eppassporte account let alone withdraw money little by little…. when i go to my eppassporte account mine still says i have a zero balance. is any one else still like that or do you have to go somewhere else to veiw your account
Nicole, call the bank to verify your account balance. No you can not see any money on the epassporte site. Epassporte is shutting down anyway. The bank will ask you for your electron card number, your name and address. Then they will confirm how much you have. If your money was in the wallet, then I don’t know what you can do. Epassporte still claims they will let people get money out of the wallet.
I had a buddy of mine tell me that they were shut down because of the IRS.
According to him: Employers were disbursing direct deposit payments on the epassporte accounts and employers were not paying the taxes that were due to the government. In other words could it be possible that they were shut down because they were paying employees under the table?
It’s possible. I’ve heard so many rumors and since Mallick is too much of a coward to come clean, we may never know unless he’s testifying on camera, in court. And then it’s still probably a web of lies…
Rumors:
1. Mallick looted ePassporte to pay for his box office flops
2. ePassporte was used to fund terrorist groups
3. IRS alleged cooperation/aid to income tax evaders
4. Larceny
5. Attack on the porn industry through payment processing
6. Racketeering
7. Money laundering
None of the possible reasons rumored are unreasonable, some very likely, but it’s unlikely we’ll ever know.
well, will be able to get our funds back from wallet?, I hope the dont scam all the clients….
ive tried to contact epassporte all day and it rings once and says its busy and to try again later. .does the number to epassporte actually work or is there another number i can try to contact them to verify my account
thank you for your help
I also try to phone them. It seems the line has been disconnected since they not longer offer Call Center Support.
I hope they dont lie to to members and as they say they have few people on staff working to return Wallet Funds . I really hope they send back each member their funds.
May be try Mallick’s facebook?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Mallick/1095914860
And here is a link to his production company
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Los-Angeles-CA/Oxymoron-Entertainment/169233480057
P.S.
We can see from his facebook activities that Mallick was very “busy” solving epassporte troubles in September.
Nicole and Ivana, do you ladies have money in the epassporte wallet or on your visa electron card? If it’s in the wallet then I don’t know how you will contact epassporte since they have announced they are closing down. Maybe try emailing them. If the money was on your Visa electron card then call SKNANB at 1-869-466-9733. They will be able to tell you the balance over the phone. Last week epassporte was emailing account balances on a pdf file.
As previously advised, SKNANB has been working diligently to restore prepaid cardholders’ ability to access their Visa card funds.
Thursday, October 7th, 2010 is the confirmed date that the majority of cardholders will be able to access the funds on their Visa Card using their existing virtual card and/or physical card(s), without providing SKNANB further information. A small percentage of cardholders will be required to provide certain confirming due diligence information. On or after October 7th, prepaid cardholders may attempt to use their cards to confirm that no additional due diligence information will be required. Alternatively, you may email us at vcsupport@sknanb.com, including the first and last name on the card and the last four digits of either the virtual or physical card and we will verify as soon as is possible as to whether or not you will need to provide additional due diligence information.
SKNANB has received questions with respect to cash withdrawal limits. The daily limits for cash withdrawals will be US$320.00 (three hundred and twenty) per day. This limit cannot be modified. SKNANB prepaid cardholders should continue to check this site for further updates.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your SKNANB prepaid card, please contact SKNANB at vcprepaid@sknanb.com. In addition, cardholders can call +1-869-466-9733 to contact the cardholder services centre between the hours of 8am and 4pm Atlantic Standard Time. Please note, the call volume could be quite large, as such, there may be extended wait times.
We understand the inconvenience and SKNANB thanks you for your continued patience.
St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Limited
hi Cammer, yes I have funds in my Wallet and Visa Lol, I though the Wallet was safe. Yes I have already email them to the email they provide, I have an approved Bank Wire from Sept 13th waiting for processing , If they process my wire I will send an update. About Visa, I just read this:
“…As previously advised, SKNANB has been working diligently to restore prepaid cardholders’ ability to access their Visa card funds.
October 7th, 2010 is the confirmed date that the majority of cardholders will be able to access the funds on their Visa Card using their existing virtual card and/or physical card(s), without providing SKNANB further information. A small percentage of cardholders will be required to provide certain confirming due diligence information. On or after October 7th, prepaid cardholders may attempt to use their cards to confirm that no additional due diligence information will be required. Alternatively, you may email us at vcsupport@sknanb.com, including the first and last name on the card and the last four digits of either the virtual or physical card and we will verify as soon as is possible as to whether or not you will need to provide additional due diligence information.
SKNANB has received questions with respect to cash withdrawal limits. The daily limits for cash withdrawals will be US$320.00 (three hundred and twenty) per day. This limit cannot be modified. SKNANB prepaid cardholders should continue to check this site for further updates.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your SKNANB prepaid card, please contact SKNANB at vcprepaid@sknanb.com. In addition, cardholders can call +1-869-466-9733 to contact the cardholder services centre between the hours of 8am and 4pm Atlantic Standard Time. Please note, the call volume could be quite large, as such, there may be extended wait times.” …
Dear Card Holder,
It is with great regret we inform you that ePassporte must close its doors due to a lack of revenue and circumstances beyond our control.
Effective immediately, the call center, ePassporte’s sales and marketing team and risk management staff will no longer be available. A small group will remain to organize wallet requests and help disburse funds. On the ePassporte website, in the near future, wallet holders will be provided further information on what is needed to obtain your funds. This will mainly be a process to protect wallet holder funds from fraud. We expect this will be a simplified process, and as we receive the necessary information, our small remaining staff will process requests as quickly as they can. Please direct your wallet questions, concerns and requests to walletrequest@ePassporte.com.
For those of you with funds on your Visa Accounts, we are informed that St. Kitts Bank is working on a plan to provide everyone with full access to their funds through their Visa Electron Cards or by bank wire transfers and will inform you accordingly.
We appreciate your support for the ePassporte program over the past 7 years and deeply regret we must close our doors at this difficult time.
Sincerely,
ePassporte.com
Bankrupt???
I don’t think so… sure was problems about bank/visa, problems i guess without solutions, because if a bank or if visa shut down like this plenty of credit card, this seems a “definitive action”… so epassport owner choose to close (and maybe reopen with a new and clean society later)….
Bankrupt??? I DON’T THINK SO.
Ok, they will give back the money, but what about all pèople who have little money in epassporte who will never take back this money? i talk about the people with just 10-20-30-40 dollar in epassporte wallet….
Let’s assume a 20 dollars/account * 100.000 accounts (i don’t know how many account are in epassport sistem, i guess after 7 year in activities at least are 100.000, maybe much more) = 2.000.000$ they will never “give back”.
I posted this on my website http://www.ePassPorteSucks.com/Guestbook.php : While they (StKittsBank) did indeed change it to October 7th it did say that October 7th is the CONFIRMED date that the majority of cardholders will be able to access their funds on the ePassPorte branded Visa card. Knowing how my luck runs for little old piss ant poor person me I wouldn’t be surprised if they needed further documentation that for whatever reason I won’t be able to provide. Besides jumping for joy,paying bills, and shouting “hallelujah” if we do get our money back on that date, what are you going to do with your money? I know I have never had a professional full body massage. I will go to one which is legit and not run by the porn industry which just might be connected with lovely Christopher Mallick LOL! Seriously I deserve to treat myself,and relieve some stress, after going through all this nerve racking bullshit. 🙂
Good luck Ivana. I hope we are all able to access the money on the cards tomorrow. The bank said Oct 7 is the CONFIRMED date to have access to the cards. As far as the wallet users are concerned, I just don’t know..I hope you all can get that back as well.
AdminEpassPorteSucks, I would stay away from the massage parlors if I were you buddy 🙂 Just save your money or go get a few drinks. I am sure you have bills to pay as well!
LOL!
epassporte ewallet now looks like a multi-million dollar scam.
all their phones and emails are dead. they even let us see transaction history and messages and other important stuff.
walletrequest@epassporte.com is DEAD as well!
Yes the tables definitely turned with VV vs Wallet as up until a few weeks ago most people thought wallet was safe and VV users were screwed! Looks to be the other way around.. talk about irony. I remember when wallet was introduced.. early ’08 I think.. few months before that had 5k used fraudulently on my visa and thought great idea to keep funds safe and then transfer what you need to your visa when you need it.. now it looks like wallet was a sweet scammy idea in sheeps clothing. I won’t say how much I have lost (not over yet.. hopefully) but enough that Mallick can make a nice addition to his Marina Del Ray townhouse.
Most people in my situation would probably be sitting in a padded room right about now.. ugghh.. I’ve lost and made money many times over.. here’s hoping there is some light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Also what’s sucky is I am kicking myself for not taking screenshots when this debacle started.. I have statements and screens from early this year but not when all this crap started.. The wallet balance they are claiming I have looks accurate, however.
ALEX,
Yes I thought oh chit when I heard that if it wasn’t in my wallet I was screwed and should say adios to my money but yes it turned out to be mostly safe in the visa virtual account because the bank is tied into that and not really ePassPorte. EP for the most part is off the hook. Christopher Mallick better run. I bet the mafia is waiting on him. Mr. Mallick is just waiting for it to die down. He thinks us little people won’t do anything so therefore he thinks he can keep our money and that is that. If he only knew…..
This information give me bank about funds on wallet. SKNANB is not related to and or involved in any way with the wallet. As per ePassportes multiple public statements, ePassporte is responsible for all aspects of the wallet, as such, please contact ePassporte directly for any information with respect to their wallet product.
May be you organize for all of us new site “ePassporteHelp” where we hire a lawyer, it will be cheaper for us all, and expose the claim until they have somewhere to eat. may be it will be the best lawyer of USA if all holder give 5$ will good payment.
Its is Thurs 7 October here (I Live in the Caribbean.(3:10am to be exact)
I STILL CANT GET my money !
I am SURE thousands Will be in the Same Situation like me.
I email Yesterday St Kitts bank…..they Says While they (StKittsBank) did indeed change it to October 7th it did say that October 7th is the CONFIRMED date that the majority of cardholders will be able to access their funds on the ePassPorte branded Visa card.
I Did Not take a physical Visa CArd, since I had already had a Mastercard and I wud transfer the Funds from the Epassporte Wallet to the Virtual Visa then I wud witthdraw it to my Mastercard that was Linked to the Epassporte Account.
I Have tried to login to Epassport i Cant see My Balance at all.
ALL I GET is a BIG MESSAGE SAYING THAT Epassporte Closed it doors. The and an Option to LOG off. (Thats ALL I CAN NOT view my Messages, Account,Withdraw Section nothing.
I email St Kitts Bank yesterday (Cause they Dont answer the Phone) and they told me they have nothing to do with the Epaspporte Wallet to Contact Epassporte.
Epassporte Does not ANswer your Emails to walletrequest@ePassporte.com (I have sent them at least 10 emails No Answer.
So guess only people who Purchased the Epassporte Virtual Physical Card wud be able to get there Money.’
AND The many others WHo Had there Accounts Linked to Epassporte or an Existing Credit or Debit Card WONT be able to Get there Money,
Since they Cant transfer anything on The Epassporte Site to their Bank Account or Existing Credit card 🙁
So SEEMS LIKE CHRIS MALLICK has the LAst Laugh on THOUSANDS he Has FLEECED from people like us.
Epassporte BANKRUPT ?? NO WAY. They Will be swiiming in Moneys Stolen from people Like us 🙁
WHY HASNT THE FBI HELD THIS MAN FOR FRAUD?
I Look at the Cable NEW and I HAVE NOT SEEN anything on his issue.
So, anyone tried to withdraw their money? Its 7 and it din’t happen for me. So, just wanted to confirm before i write an email to SKNANB.
I’ve tried with two cards, neither works 🙁
too early guys, i guess it’s not gonna happen sooner than 8am est today, if it even happens
Hi Everyone,
today is 7th and I have tried twice to get money on my epassporte visa card through ATM…no success! I have emailed ePassporte on walletrequest@ePassporte.com 2 days ago and still no response from them….I didn’t even got the “read request” confirmation so I guess no one has read my email requesting my money back!!!!
I see people all over the internet talking about how they can’t get their money off the card yet. It’s not even 8am EASTER TIME YET. I take it most people do not know how to convert their time into eastern time, in order to know when it will actually be 8am EASTERN TIME.
Google search works wonders. Try it
SOMEBODY IS VERY HAPPY….Swindle is not alowed, but it is legal. In many countries swindlers can do what they want. They hide money in clever ways. They can afford the best financial and tax-advisors.Police cannot find it or simply have no time to do so. Punishments in many European countries means nothing. Jails are hotels with bars or very thick glass. Especially ePassporte is/was connected to sex business mostly it’s just a dirty case to solve. Many victums cannot easily make themselves known to autorities and media to shout for help because many ‘models’ are not alowed to work in this business, f.e. in the Philippines. Its forbidden there. And others have another reasons why to keep themselves out of daylight. The owner of ePassporte knows this all of course… He is everybody, read all accountholders, greatful for the money you all ‘give’ to him. If ePassporte is a respectful payservice they would wire back the money to all accountholders…. if they are not bankrupt. Are they??? Or not?? They have all your info, including your bankaccount. But Im afraid: little by little their website is dying…. Wait and see… Make screenshots. Cropper is a free and easy programm to use. Good luck.
People go to the atm and check for your money. Some people on different sites have reported they are able to use their visa virtual AND visa electron card now!
I just tried the atm at a little after 5 am west coast time and was able to withdraw $300 . I did not try 320 , but have to say at least the bank is allowing some of us to access our funds , I hope it works for everyone ….GOOD LUCK !!!!