DANNY DE HEKThey say karma always finds its way—and in the case of scammer Shavez Anwar, it’s come with a hospital bed, a puff of smoke, and a whole lot of heat.

This exposé, co-hosted with fellow scam-fighter Rob Woolley, is not just about theatrical irony (though yes, the thumbnail shows Shavez sick in bed, puffing away while a nurse fights to do her job). It’s about real-world consequences. And the evidence we present comes directly from inside the beast—a private Zoom meeting where promoters quietly spilled the truth.

Let’s break it down.

FMA Issues Official Warning on LQuid Pay

First, let’s address the real regulatory fire. On May 3, 2025, the New Zealand Financial Markets Authority (FMA) issued a public warning against LQuid Pay, the so-called fintech platform tied to Shavez Anwar. You can read the official warning here: https://www.fma.govt.nz/library/warnings-and-alerts/lquid-finance-ta-lquid-pay/

The FMA highlighted LQuid Pay’s unlicensed financial operations and lack of regulatory approval to offer services in New Zealand. This is a huge step in recognising the scheme’s shady nature.

Following the warning, something interesting happened: the domain https://www.lquid.finance went offline and remained down for 2–3 days. While I can’t confirm it officially, I strongly suspect government intervention led to the takedown—no legitimate business would go dark that long unless something serious was happening behind the scenes. Predictably, the scammers scrambled and quickly fired up a new domain: https://www.lquidpay.finance. I doubt it will stay online for long either, but it proves they’re on the run, changing digital clothes to dodge accountability.

In response to the FMA’s warning, I personally submitted evidence linking LQuid Pay to another scam platform: Protocol Yield (py.xyz). The two schemes share identical architecture, commission models, plagiarised legal documents, and—most critically—Shavez Anwar as their puppet master.

The Smoking Scam: Shavez Anwar Hospitalised

In a secretly recorded Zoom meeting, multiple promoters confirmed that Shavez is seriously ill and currently hospitalised, possibly under pressure from the financial collapse of his fraud network. Much like his fallen partner Sam Lee, this could signal that regulatory heat is closing in.

And yet—while hospitalised—he’s still the figurehead being propped up behind schemes like Protocol Yield and LQuid Pay, where he supposedly created a trading AI that “learns” from user activity. Sound impressive? It’s not. The reality is: it’s just another white-labelled scam wrapped in tech buzzwords.

Zoom Leak: How the Commission Scheme Really Works

Let’s not dance around it. In a separate Zoom session, recorded live without the knowledge of the participants, key promoter David Brunenberg spilled the truth about how LQuid Pay makes its money:

  • $100 Visa Card Sale = $55 commission
  • $500 Card = $275 commission
  • $1,000 Card = $550 commission

And that’s just the direct cut. Residual commissions, referral bonuses, and crypto funneling scams tied to their BTCC Token (which has plummeted from $160 to $105 in two weeks) create an entire MLM Ponzi ecosystem disguised as a financial product.

The structure is designed to trap victims:

  • You’re promised passive income.
  • You’re encouraged to onboard friends and family.
  • Your so-called “rewards” come from recruiting others, not from actual trading.

If that’s not a textbook Ponzi Scheme, what is?

ZIGChain Summit 2025 — A Blockchain Showcase Hijacked by Scam Promoters

The ZIGChain Summit 2025, held on April 29 at Dubai’s Al Habtoor Grand Resort, promised to be a landmark event in the world of decentralized finance. With a roadmap full of bold announcements — from a Shariah-compliant RWA platform (Zamanat) to a $25 million AI innovation fund — the summit painted a picture of cutting-edge progress.

But behind the smoke and mirrors lies a more troubling reality.

As an investigative watchdog known as The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger, I’ve spent the past month uncovering what ZIGChain doesn’t want you to see. Namely, that its infrastructure appears to be enabling — if not actively collaborating with — one of crypto’s most notorious scammers: Shavez Anwar.

Protocol Yield: A Ponzi Scheme Disguised as Innovation

Shavez Anwar’s latest venture, Protocol Yield, is presented as an advanced “social finance” platform. But don’t be fooled. Beneath the polished branding lies a plagiarized, white-labelled replica of Zignaly’s own B2B infrastructure — the same Zignaly now powering the ZIGChain ecosystem.

We know this because when we booked a demo with Zignaly via https://b2b.zignaly.com, we were contacted by David Rodríguez, a Zignaly team member who acknowledged the similarities between the two platforms and promised an internal investigation. Despite this initial engagement, Zignaly has remained silent ever since. And that silence has now turned into complicity.

LQuid Pay Becomes a Platinum Sponsor at ZIGChain Summit

Here’s where things get worse.

The same Shavez Anwar who pushed Boomerang, 9Pay, and Protocol Yield — schemes that have collectively lost investors hundreds of millions — is now operating under the brand LQuid Pay. This rebranded scam was proudly listed as a Platinum Sponsor of the ZIGChain Summit.

Not only did LQuid Pay sponsor the event, but they were promoted directly by ZIGChain’s official Twitter/X account:

“Welcome @lquidpaydeobank to ZIGChain. LquidPay is a Deobank, a decentralized on-chain bank…”

This confirms one of two things:

  • Zignaly/ZIGChain has knowingly partnered with a known financial criminal.
  • Or they are being grossly negligent with their vetting process while welcoming bad actors into their ecosystem.

Either way, it’s not just a red flag. It’s a full-blown siren.

Shavez Disappears. Trashit Takes Over.

In a recent support Zoom call, Protocol Yield promoters announced:

Please note that Shavez is not well, so Trashit will be providing an update at UK prime time.

Whether this is just a poor excuse or a cover-up remains to be seen. But given the suspicious price plunge of BTCC (from $160 to $105 in just two weeks) — a worthless monopoly-style token used across his scam network — it’s clear that something major is unfolding behind the scenes.

My working theory? Shavez may have been quietly detained by authorities, just like Sam Lee was during the HyperVerse collapse.

Kalpesh Patel Spotted at ZIGChain Summit

Another figure of concern is Kalpesh Patel, previously implicated in the HyperVerse scam. He was seen walking the floor at the ZIGChain Summit. His presence further cements the connection between ZIGChain and a revolving door of career scammers.

The question must be asked:
Is ZIGChain becoming the new playground for recycled fraud?

Enter STASHER: Dubai Crypto Clout-Chaser or Cartel Insider?

Adding more theatrics to the summit was STASHER, a self-branded crypto influencer who flaunted luxury cars and yacht parties funded by CryptoAutos and the ZIG team themselves. He boasted:

“The STASHER CAPITAL event was INSANE… Got an amazing gift from the $ZIG team for my new office.”

Between the flexing, influencer gifting, and wild spending, it’s starting to look less like a tech summit and more like a laundering parade.

Emails That Went Unanswered: Zignaly’s Silence Is Deafening

To date, I have sent three separate emails to David Rodríguez, each providing:

  • Links to published blogs about Protocol Yield
  • Bloomberg TV interviews featuring Shavez Anwar
  • Documented evidence of investor losses
  • Screenshots of fake licensing and white-labelling activity

There has been no response.

If Zignaly and ZIGChain are serious about transparency, the time for silence is over.

Final Thoughts: When Credibility Becomes Collateral

ZIGChain was supposed to be about “inclusive, next-gen finance.” Instead, it is rapidly becoming a haven for serial fraudsters dressed up in Web3 jargon.

Until Zignaly comes forward with a clear position on:

  • Protocol Yield’s white-labelled usage of their tech
  • LQuid Pay’s platinum sponsorship
  • The appearance of scam-linked figures at their event

…they are part of the problem.

I will continue reporting. I will continue documenting. And I will continue asking the questions that no one else is willing to.

This isn’t about crypto anymore. It’s about accountability.

Co-hosted by: Rob Woolley & Danny de Hek – The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger

If you or someone you know has been affected by these scams, reach out via dehek.com. Your story matters. Together, we can expose these frauds—and maybe even stop the next scam before it starts.

About the Author Danny de Hek, also known as The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger, is a New Zealand-based investigative journalist specializing in exposing crypto fraud, Ponzi schemes, and MLM scams. His work has been featured by Bloomberg, The New York Times, The Guardian Australia, ABC News Australia, and other international outlets.

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