Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – This story follows reports from The Borneo Post, Free Malaysia Today, and The Straits Times on April 28, 2025, about the Melaka police raid on a debit card cloning group targeting Japan’s black market.
Dzulkhairi (left) highlights the various cloned debit cards seized during the operation at a press conference on April 28th 2025. – Bernama photo
New details reveal a major international scam linked to Forbes Private Bank Monaco, connected to the cloned cards seized in Melaka. Run by Japanese businessman Yuki Ujita, this operation pretends to be a real private bank in Monaco but is accused of running a Ponzi scheme. It takes advantage of weak rules in countries across Africa and Asia.
Forbes Private Bank Monaco offers fixed deposits with high interest rates of 4% to 8.5%. Customers can deposit using cryptocurrency and get VISA debit cards. But records show it only has a fake banking licence from Comoros. Its SWIFT code (FOPMKMK1XXX) is not working, as warned on bank-code.net: “This swift code should not be used as it is no longer active!” This blocks normal bank transfers, leading to secret methods.
Ujita owns the bank through his company Y System Corporation in the British Virgin Islands, which holds all shares. The website promotes Bitcoin deposits and easy card use, drawing in Japanese investors looking for extra income. Total deposits reach about 6 billion yen (around US$45 million). It keeps going by paying old customers with money from new ones – a clear sign of a Ponzi scheme.
The Melaka raid conducted in April 2025 shows the card trick at the centre. The bank has no rights to issue VISA or Mastercard cards or partner banks. Instead, Ujita’s team is said to fake forms to open accounts at Laos’ Joint Development Bank (JDB) without telling customers. JDB cards are sent to Malaysia, where workers copy the chips onto fake Forbes cards. The April raid took 227 JDB cards, two Forbes cards, tools like a laser printer and glue gun, plus cash. Police said it was for Japan’s “black market.” This has been happening since the bank started in 2018.
In Japan, Ujita breaks laws by selling deposits from an unregistered foreign bank. He uses front companies and agents, with his wife Kayo Yoshida as a main contact there.
In Cambodia, money moves through local bank accounts controlled by Ujita. The setup uses gaps in rules: Comoros for the licence, Laos for cards, Malaysia for cloning, Cambodia for transfers, and Japan for finding customers. The Melaka arrest of a Singaporean renter stopped the card making, but not the main scam. Police called it for making “premium” and “platinum” clones for illegal markets.
Comoros licences are often linked to fraud, as reports show. The International Chamber of Commerce warns about fake banks from Anjouan in Comoros, easy to get with no real checks. The Central Bank of Comoros is the only real issuer. It warns against fake groups like Mwali International Services Authority. Forbes Private Bank is listed as unlicensed and claiming false approval, like others such as EXIM CREDIT BANK. Signs include low cost and no need for big funds, like old offshore scams. Check directly with the Central Bank; if not listed, it’s likely fake.
The Central Bank of Comoros has put out a notice (banque-comores.km) against illegal offshore banking. The notice names Forbes Private Bank Monaco as running fraud without proper approval.
Experts say these fake licences in places like Comoros target everyday investors hunting better deals after economic changes. Adding crypto makes it appealing but risky, as it hides crooks and opens doors to hacks. Victims in Japan, like small business owners or retirees, could lose money and have their IDs stolen from fake papers.
This shows the rise of mixed scams using old bank tricks with new digital money, hitting thousands. With crypto markets over US$2 trillion in 2025, these could spread fast across borders. Japan should check local breaks in law; Malaysia, Laos, and Comoros look into fakes and cloning. Groups like Interpol can help track money and break up the groups.
Act fast to protect people at risk. If you have dealt with Forbes Private Bank Monaco or similar, tell local police right away. This case shows the dangers of unchecked finance: big promises hiding big losses.
