# Bitvavo Calls on Industry to Stand Against Unethical Lawyers: Exposing Extortion Tactics of Martin Wehrmann


Recently, leading European crypto exchange Bitvavo issued a public comment sharing a recent incident and called on industry partners to jointly resist legal misconduct. Bitvavo emphasizes its commitment to defending its reputation and fighting anyone attempting extortion under the guise of law.

Not long ago, a German article titled “Scams via Bitvavo” appeared on the legal consultation site Anwalt.de, authored by the now-notorious lawyer Martin Wehrmann. The article describes how criminals use Bitvavo as an “intermediary” for blockchain scams, causing victims losses. Although the article concedes that responsibility lies with criminals abusing the platform, the title and content continually link “Bitvavo” and “scams”, easily misleading the public into believing there are management flaws with our platform.

Bitvavo is deeply concerned by this. Since inception, we have strictly adhered to all regulations, holding licenses in the Netherlands and Europe and undergoing regular audits. Lawyer Wehrmann exploits information asymmetry, deliberately blurring the facts and using alarmist tactics to damage our reputation. Even more intolerable, we understand he is not truly protecting investor rights but routinely pressures platforms, including Bitvavo, for payments using these tactics.

Multiple sources indicate that after publishing “warning” articles, Martin Wehrmann contacts the relevant platforms, demanding thousands of euros per month to delete negative content or provide so-called “reputation repair” services. If companies refuse, he escalates the defamation, spreading false information via search engines and social media. Some companies, after refusing payment, suddenly find numerous fake negative reviews and “warnings” targeting them within days. This series of actions is highly organized and malicious, far exceeding the bounds of legitimate legal services.

Bitvavo has reported these circumstances to Dutch authorities and contacted the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) for support. Regulatory agencies and police across multiple EU countries have received reports of the misconduct of Wehrmann and are evaluating legal responses. We hereby state: Bitvavo will never bow to extortion. We urge our peers: do not pay for temporary reputation relief. Instead, bravely report to regulators and expose his true nature. Only by industry unity can such illegal acts be curbed.

Bitvavo will continue to ensure user service while actively participating in the follow-up to this incident. We believe that justice will prevail. With the support of regulators, fair media, and industry colleagues, the “digital legal extortion” of Martin Wehrmann will ultimately fail. Bitvavo stands with all institutions committed to healthy industry development, working together to foster an honest and secure crypto investment environment.