FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
Referring to the prosecution's file, one of the most important figures in the scheme, who the police have arrested but claim to be a victim, is Arbër Çela. The search of Çela's apartment and "La Bonta" bar revealed large sums of money in various currencies, two expensive phones, a laptop, a DVR and a luxury vehicle.
On his phone, investigators found traces directly linked to “XUEX” and numerous transactions. Çela admitted that he had bet $2,300 and won $8,000 to $9,000, which he had withdrawn in Prizren. There was even a poster at the entrance of the bar advertising the “XUEX” platform, raising strong questions not only about the role of this person, but also about the investigations of the Fier Prosecutor’s Office. The involvement did not stop with him.
The file includes the name of Ereledio Shebek, a young man who helped others register on the platform.
The problem would gain public attention when these schemes were denounced by Socialist Party MP, former Deputy Prime Minister Erion Braçe. “Listen… I had warned you exactly this because this is how pyramids work. It was never a stock exchange, but simply a pyramid and this is being clearly proven now,” Socialist MP Braçe would denounce on social media.
Calculating the date of the infiltration by police agents and the statement by former Deputy Prime Minister Brace, it results that the first serious step was taken on August 28, 2025, on the same day that the MP himself made the public denunciation.
According to the victim who was registered with "Xuex", the blocking of money in these schemes was related to the denunciation by the former deputy prime minister.
"The reason is that your politician filed a complaint, that's the reason and that's why it was closed," the victim would claim to "Vetting".
In fact, immediately after MP Braçe's statement, there was a commotion within the private Telegram platforms where these people operated, and most of them asked to withdraw their money. In some cases, according to the file from the Prosecutor's Office, the chat conversations would even take on harsh tones.
Citizen:
It's causing problems with my family. "I hope the situation is resolved as soon as possible, professor. The others are OK, but this one has put in an amount of 10,000 dollars and is threatening me with my life. Even though I've explained this situation to him many times."
Leo Smith:
"Ask him to wait patiently, it's not the money that's lost, it's just the delay in payment. So what do you think we should do? All we can do now is wait, brother. Okay, I believe we can get through this crisis without any problems, don't worry."
The character called Leo Smith, or otherwise known as the professor, is the individual who directed all transactions, commanded and directed agents through groups on the Telegram platform. According to the Fier Prosecutor's Office, there are doubts about the citizenship of this person, but what is now confirmed is that there was not just one group.
Neither the police, nor the Cybersecurity Authority, nor the Financial Supervisory Authority have provided a demographic profile of the victims. But by analyzing how these platforms operate, we can draw some conclusions.
Anonymous victim:
"Yes, in the group, I'm still there, but some people were in the group, around 850, now there are around 800 or less, while foreigners were around 8 thousand. At the moment it's around 8,200. This is 1 other, this is currently 6,188, where they send photos, where they eat dinner and they also send the program in the photo, you know."
Given the operating model of the scheme where victims were recruited through social networks, it is possible that age groups that are quite active online are affected, that is, young people between the ages of 18 and 35.
According to expert Gjergji, younger generations are more technology-savvy and are greatly influenced by influencers on social platforms.
"This generation has not experienced the bitter taste of a financial failure, such as the collapse of pyramid schemes in '97. So, they do not recognize it as a phenomenon and have not heard about it from their parents," said expert Gjergji.
On the same day, that there were reactions from the majority MP, suddenly the institutions that should monitor these platforms or have the competence to prevent these frauds were also remembered.
On August 28, 2025, the National Cyber Security Authority would notify Albanian citizens to be careful of the TXEX platform.
According to the Cybersecurity Authority, in addition to TXEX, there were two other similar platforms on the market, XUEX and Grokrexduu. The institution would declare that it had taken urgent measures to block the activity of these fraudulent sites, cooperating with responsible institutions such as the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority, the State Police and the companies that provided the internet.
On the same day, the Financial Supervisory Authority would also react, stating that the TXEX, XUEX and GROKREXDUU platforms are not licensed or authorized by it to offer investment services.
According to the Financial Supervisory Authority, these platforms appear as investment applications that provide users with "buy signals" for crypto-assets, creating the impression among investors that they can influence prices and make profits. The Authority would declare that in its entirety this process is fictitious and is contrary to the law by deceiving citizens.
The figures speak clearly, in Divjaka alone, over 580 affected people have been identified, with investment amounts ranging from 1 thousand to 5 thousand dollars per person, often including family members.
The investigation into the fraudulent platform XUEX revealed a typical cryptocurrency pyramid scheme, which spread widely in cities such as Divjakë, Lushnje, and even in Kosovo, via Prizren.
This case clearly shows that fake cryptocurrency scams are using the same mechanisms as the pyramid schemes of the 1990s in Albania, bringing serious financial and social consequences. The problem is not with generations, but with the way the state takes care of the interests of citizens, which it should be noted that, as in 1997, today it has reacted after the damage was done and the organizers have disappeared along with the money./ Vetting
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