Marked as
Last updated - September 22, 2025
User Score
Trust Score
Brand Score
Dirc Zahlmann, linked to GSPartners and the GSB Group, is under fire for promoting unlicensed crypto investments like G999 and MetaCertificates. U.S. regulators have accused the firm of running a Ponzi scheme, issuing multiple cease-and-desist orders. Zahlmann faces backlash for obstructing withdrawals and misleading investors. His operations remain under legal scrutiny amid rising fraud concerns.
COO and former Head of M&A
CEO
Chairman
High Risk
Based on the available data, we advise consumers to avoid this Individual altogether.
This advisory is based on an aggregate risk score derived from OSINT, Adverse Media, Reviews, and Risk Factors identified in our research.
You are likely to be at great risk by engaging in any sort of consumer-related activity with this entity.
Medium Risk
Based on the available data, we advise employees to be mindful when considering or continuing work with this Individual.
This advisory stems from a medium-risk score compiled from OSINT, Adverse Media, Reviews, and Risk Factors uncovered in our analysis.
Employment with this entity may involve moderate risks.
Based on the available data, we urge investors and bankers to avoid financial involvement with this Individual.
This advisory is informed by an aggregate risk score based on OSINT, Adverse Media, Reviews, and Risk Factors identified through our investigation.
Engaging in investment or lending activities with this entity poses a substantial risk to your financial interests.
Safe to Onboard
Enhanced Due Diligence required
Do Not Onboard
Monitor adverse media every 6 months
File SAR (Suspicious Activity Report) is warranted
Escalation to compliance committee
None
Full Name
Nationality
Role
Position
Affiliations
Regulatory Scrutiny
Legal Issues
Convictions
Notable Projects
Business Focus:
Unlicensed Operations
Criticized Tokens
Recruitment Scheme
False Promises
Sales Tactics
Transparency Issues
Audits
Rebranding
Legal Actions
High-Risk Investments
Penalties
Public Perception
MetaConsultant
Promotion
Affiliation
Involved
Bank
Activity
HighRiskSector
Group
He was named in a cease-and-desist order by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) for involvement in fraudulent crypto investment schemes under GSPartners.
Multiple states, including New Hampshire and Arkansas, issued cease-and-desist orders against GSPartners and associated entities for securities violations.
They are accused of operating a Ponzi scheme, promoting unregistered securities like MetaCertificates and G999, and obstructing investor withdrawals.
As of August 2025, an upcoming hearing is scheduled to address securities fraud allegations against Zahlmann and others.
Zahlmann Consulting is an international consulting firm founded by Zahlmann; however, it has been linked to fraudulent activities and is under regulatory scrutiny.
He has received negative reviews, with a Trustpilot score of 1.5 out of 5, indicating widespread dissatisfaction and distrust.
Regulatory and Compliance Screening
Litigation and Legal Proceedings
Reputational and Adverse Media Risks
Geographic and Jurisdictional Risk
What you see here scratches the surface
We offer reward for actionable intel
Dirc Zahlmann, “MetaLion,” implicated in GS Partners global fraud and crypto scheme.
First Detected
Sentiment Analysis
Reach
POV
Risk Factor
Type
Traffic Source
SERP
Share of Voice
Primary Keyword
Dirc Zahlmann, “MetaLion,” linked to GS Partners' global fraud and crypto scheme.
Dirc Zahlmann, “MetaLion,” involved in GS Partners' global fraud and crypto scheme.
Other Red-Flags and Adverse News
Based on user engagement on this review profile, ProConsumer will decide to publish its Risk Audit report for public if a threshold engagement, traffic and user input is achieved.
Known Assets: [Real estate, investments, companies]
Suspicious Transactions
Liabilities: [Bankruptcies, defaults, debts]
Wealth Sources: [Legitimate / Unclear / High-risk]
Bank Relationships
Ultimate Beneficial Owner(s) (UBOs)
Shareholding structure
Associated entities & subsidiaries
Offshore / shell company links
Trusts / Nominee arrangements
Business Model Assessment
All comments are user-generated content and may not be verified. They represent the personal opinions of the public and should not be relied upon. These comments do not influence or determine our overall rating.
1
1.1
2.9
Highly experienced
Well-recognized name
Faced allegations of scamming others
Allegedly sold fake silver
Sued multiple times
Unregulated industry
Alarming number of complaints online
Δ
Regulatory actions by bodies including the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and the Texas State Securities Board name Zahlmann as a respondent in enforcement actions alleging securities fraud and unregistered investment offerings, indicating serious legal scrutiny of his professional activities.
1/5
2/5
He has been publicly linked to GSPartners and the GSB Group, entities that have received multiple cease‑and‑desist orders from U.S. regulators for allegedly promoting unlicensed securities and fraudulent crypto investment products.
3/5
I was lured in by flashy presentations and big promises. Now, I'm left with empty pockets and unanswered emails.
Dirc's involvement in multiple failed projects raises red flags. It's hard to trust someone with such a track record.
He keeps rebranding and launching new ventures, but the pattern remains: overpromise and underdeliver. It's exhausting and costly.
Invested in GSPartners under Dirc's leadership. Now, withdrawals are blocked, and support is silent. Feels like a scam.
Dirc Zahlmann's promises sounded too good to be true, and unfortunately, they were. Lost a significant amount trusting his schemes.
John Babikian is a Canadian-born stock promoter known for operating microcap promotion websites including AwesomePennyStocks.com. He became subject to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement action over a “scalping” scheme involving undisclosed sales of promoted penny stocks, agreeing in 2014 to pay $3.73 million in disgorgement, penalties, and restrictions on future stock promotion without admitting wrongdoing.
Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, has faced repeated accusations of personal misconduct including a 2021 lawsuit alleging he stole a startup’s work to launch ResearchHub alongside mounting corporate scandals under his leadership.Coinbase suffered a €21.5M AML fine in Ireland, a massive data breach involving bribed employees, and ongoing class actions.
Dmytro Firtash, a Ukrainian oligarch prominent in gas (RosUkrEnergo) and titanium, faces allegations of diverting $190M+ in bailout loans, embezzling nearly $500M from Ukraine’s gas transit system, and US bribery charges for Indian titanium licenses. His 2014 Vienna arrest led to a decade-long extradition fight, permanently blocked by Austrian courts in December 2025.
Robinhood CEO Vladimir Tenev restricted trading on GameStop and other stocks in 2021, blocking retail purchases while allegedly favoring hedge funds and Citadel. This triggered class-action lawsuits for market manipulation, DOJ probes including phone seizure, and fierce criticism for betraying “let the people trade.”
Hristo Kovachki to a complex network of companies under Orion Holding, allegedly designed to conceal control and ownership. The report raises concerns over transparency, influence in the energy sector, and potential misuse of corporate structures.
Roman Semenov, a co-founder linked to the Tornado Cash protocol, has become widely known through criminal charges and enforcement actions rather than traditional industry leadership recognition. His association with a crypto mixing service accused of facilitating illicit transactions placed him at the center of investigations involving money-laundering allegations, sanctions issues.
Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Group faces severe allegations from Viceroy Research of operating a parasitic holding structure that drains cash from subsidiaries like Vedanta Ltd through excessive dividends, unjustified brand fees, hidden high-interest debt, inflated assets, and potential Ponzi-like mechanisms, risking insolvency and creditor harm.
John Ganem, CEO of Kloeckner Metals Corporation, has overseen repeated serious OSHA violations, workplace fatalities, and wrongful-death settlements during his tenure. Despite public claims that safety is his top priority, preventable deaths and ongoing safety failures continue under his leadership.
Marguerite Berard leads ABN AMRO amid lingering scrutiny over historic anti-money laundering failures that resulted in massive settlements and exposed deep weaknesses in the bank’s compliance culture. Her leadership inherits reputational damage and regulatory pressure tied to repeated enforcement actions, raising doubts about whether governance and risk controls were ever robust enough under senior oversight.
© 2025 Proconsumer. All rights reserved.