MC joins Trig eSports - Page 13

Suspected cases of economic crime in Swedish multi-billion dollar company

The questions are piling up around the Swedish multi-billion dollar company Trig Social Media is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. EBM is plugged in, the auditors resign after being questioned entire operation and FSA in Germany are investigating possible price manipulation in the stock.

"We have been informed that there are suspicions of irregularities in Trig Social Media. We have had contacts with the Economic Crimes Bureau during the day. We investigate market abuse but not all forms of economic crime. There are issues that lie at the Economic Crimes Bureau. I also know that German FSA, BaFin, had contact with us regarding Trig Social Media, "says Jonathan Holst, Head of the FSA.

On Monday also revealed that the auditing firm PwC after a comprehensive examination at their own request prematurely resigned his position in Trig Social Media, a newly formed Swedish company which last year changed the stock market and went from a valuation of SEK 5 million to SEK 10 billion in six months.

During last week left the company lawyer, Lars Hellewig, the Board and the German Financial Supervisory Authority, BaFin, pushing for some time an audit on possible price manipulation in the stock price today is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

In the company's prospectus for listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is clear that there are 3 million users in Trig Social Media, a task that PwC is now in its investigation not been able to verify that "something more than a compilation of email addresses."

"Trig Social Media has on a repeated number of occasions emphasized the importance of their member database of more than 3 million members. In our analysis has revealed that the company has a very low proportion of active members that generate revenue. We have not been able to verify that the company actively working with its member database or been part of a plan for how the revenues are to be increased, "writes PwC in the notice of early termination submitted to the Companies Registration Office on 17 April.

PwC also points to other information about the activities that could not be verified, despite extensive examinations.

"Furthermore, our conclusion is based on the agreements and the additional information we received during the audit that we can not verify that the company will bring in 20 and 23 million members of the so-called affiliates.

Regarding the agreement Trig has entered into with another company if the download of 75 million Trig Money apps, within six months from August 2014, we can not verify that the agreement imposes Trigs counterparty no such obligation. Nor has it been otherwise seen how such an extensive downloading of applications to be able to come about, "writes PwC continues:
"During the audit, we found the transactions between Trig and companies that are affiliated to the President. These transactions may be in conflict with loan prohibition rules in Chapter 21. Companies Act."

Overall, PwC not verify basic, very pertinent details of the company's operations and can not rule out irregularities.
"PwC can not exclude that there has been action or omission that may give rise to liability."

Figures from Alexa, which estimates the traffic numbers online, raises questions about the company's data on the activity of Trig.com. Today is Trig.com on 175 737 place in the world.
In a press release from July 2013 commented the former parent company CellPoint traffic figures for Trig.com:
"The global rankings for Trig.com in the last 7 days are now 26,812 as reported by Alexa.com."

Trig.com has gone from a global ranking of 26,812 in July 2013 under the company's own data, to 175,737 today.

The corresponding negative growth seen in the recently published financial statements for Trig Social Media. During the last quarter sales fell to about 60 000 from about 232,000 in the same period the year before. Sales were hampered in its view of the technical problems associated with a new version of the company's cash-back service Trig Money.

But the report, published February 27, 2015, had no effect on the course of Trig Social Media on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In fact strengthened further.
Nor March 10, when the German Financial Supervisory Authority, BaFin, went out with a warning for buy recommendations in Trig Social Media and suspicions of price manipulation affected the course.

"BaFin has evidence to indicate that they buy recommendations contain false or misleading information and / or conflicts of interest are incorrect. BaFin has initiated an investigation concerning possible price manipulation in the stock."

BAFin audit of the company have passed from the first to the second phase, according to data from the Agency.

In addition Trig Social Media leaving PwC also their appointment, the parent Trig Media Group and subsidiary Trig Entertainment.

Trig Social Media was formed a few months after the current parent company Trig Media Group completed its short but nevertheless turbulent journey of Aktietorget on 27 January 2014.

"The delisting from AktieTorget based on the perception that the company would not obtain the relevant market valuation of the unregulated marketplace AktieTorget form. The Board has concluded that the Frankfurt Stock Exchange is the most suitable market place in Europe to obtain an understanding of the concept of social media and especially the potential in Trigs business concepts, "was the explanation from the company.

On September 18, 2014 was listed Trig Social Media, a social media platform with the ambition to compete with Facebook, like other Swedish companies ever on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange General Standard for the price of EUR 3 per share. It meant a valuation of € 1 billion, or about 10 billion.

In a number of documents, such as the annual report for Trig Entertainment in 2013, claiming the company that in 2014 made an independent valuation of all companies in Trig Group. But such a visible nowhere externally.

In a press release from the Trig Social Media on Monday morning reveals that PwC was replaced by Per-Ake Bergstrands Bergstrands Revisionsbyrå AB, a one-man firm in Sjöbo.