Authorities in Germany are intensifying their fight against cyber-enabled financial fraud by targeting a part of the ecosystem that has long operated in the shadows: the software developers who allegedly supply tools used by scammers. In a significant legal development, the Bamberg Regional Court has begun hearing a case against a technology executive accused of providing software that prosecutors say enabled fraudulent online trading platforms to steal millions of euros from investors worldwide.

The trial marks the second time in 2026 that the Bavarian court has prosecuted an individual for allegedly supplying technological infrastructure to international cyber-fraud networks. While law enforcement agencies traditionally pursue the operators of scam call centers and the criminals who directly interact with victims, German prosecutors are now attempting to hold software providers criminally responsible when their products are used to facilitate large-scale fraud.

The defendant in the current case has been identified only as “Shay B.” – a common practice under German privacy laws that restrict the publication of full names during criminal proceedings. According to the indictment, Shay B. served as the chief executive officer of the Israel-based company Airsoft between March 2015 and at least June 2021.

Prosecutors accuse him of four counts of organized commercial fraud. They allege that Airsoft developed and sold what was described as a “brokerage all-in-one solution,” software that could be used to operate fake online trading platforms designed to deceive investors into believing they were participating in legitimate financial markets.

Authorities argue that the software played a central role in enabling scammers to run convincing fake investment websites. The platforms often displayed fabricated trading dashboards, manipulated account balances, and simulated market activity, persuading victims to deposit increasing sums of money in hopes of generating profits.

By allegedly receiving a share of the fraudulent revenue generated by the platforms using the software, prosecutors claim the company’s leadership crossed the line from providing neutral technology to actively participating in criminal schemes.

During opening arguments on March 2, prosecutors from Bavaria’s Central Office for Cybercrime emphasized the massive scale of the alleged fraud. In a session that lasted nearly two hours, they read aloud a long list of victims whose names and financial losses were included in the case........

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