Nibiru e-Gaming AB completed its acquisition of Miggster from Australian company Emerge Gaming in early March, a deal valued at $5 million AUD, approximately $3.75 million USD. This transaction follows Crowd1's long-standing efforts to cloak investment fraud with various attached products and services.
Crowd1 initially launched in 2019, promoting a purported online gambling platform. This venture quickly unraveled in early 2020 when a supposed gaming partner publicly stated it had no affiliation with Crowd1. The collapse forced Crowd1 to pivot its operations.
Following this initial failure, Crowd1 introduced a new iteration, positioning itself as an "apps" Ponzi scheme. A few months later, it shifted again, becoming a "products" Ponzi. These changes aimed to maintain a facade of legitimate business activity while continuing to solicit new investor funds.
The company later returned to the concept of a mobile application. Central to this renewed effort was Johan Stael von Holstein, operating through his Spanish shell company, Tecnologia de Impacto Multiple S.L. Emerge Gaming, an ASX-listed Australian company led by CEO and Executive Director Greg Stevens, announced pre-registration for MIGGSTER Mobile in October 2020. This mobile eSports platform would use Emerge's existing technology, incorporating new community competition features. The launch followed Emerge's agreement with Tecnologia de Impacto Multiple S.L.
Miggster's launch, however, failed to gain traction. Crowd1 affiliates had primarily invested in a passive income scheme; they showed little interest in a mobile gaming startup. By early 2021, Crowd1 shifted its focus to cryptocurrency fraud, leaving Miggster largely neglected. Emerge Gaming continued to maintain the platform, likely under the terms of its original financial agreement with Crowd1.
Nibiru e-Gaming AB, the acquiring entity, itself functions as another Crowd1 shell company, established in Sweden through Impact Crowd Technology. Impact Crowd Technology is a Spanish shell company headed by CEO Johan Westerdahl, who also serves as Crowd1's Chief Commercial Officer. Westerdahl briefly held the CEO position after Johan Stael von Holstein exited Crowd1 in late 2020, shortly after Miggster's initial launch.
Miggster's future remains uncertain. Crowd1's migration to crypto fraud also led to the launch of Planet IX, another project managed through Nibiru e-Gaming. Planet IX similarly stalled, as it did not align with the passive investment model Crowd1 affiliates sought. Crowd1's more recent, and ostensibly more successful, venture was Digital Partners Network. This scheme involved virtual shares that closely mirrored Crowd1's original "owner's rights shares" Ponzi model, drawing in investors before the company cashed out.
Interest in Miggster continues its decline. Alexa data indicates that the top sources of traffic to Miggster's website are Russia (33%), Italy (19%), and Ukraine (13%). Russia also accounts for 23% of the traffic to Crowd1's own website. The Australian Financial Review reported that 98% of Emerge Gaming's income originated from its partnership with Crowd1. Emerge Gaming holds approximately $22 million AUD in addition to the $5 million Miggster buyout, funds understood to be proceeds from Crowd1's Ponzi scheme.
